HRMMU calls on UN member states to demand that Russia grant access to captives, POWs

Head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine Danielle Bell said this at the presentation of a new report on the human rights situation in Ukraine, which covers the period from February 1 to July 31, 2023, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

Bell noted that the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine continues to document cases of arbitrary detention and large-scale torture and ill-treatment of civilians and prisoners of war by the Russian occupation authorities.

"Since February 2022, we have recorded the unlawful detention of almost a thousand people in the occupied territories. During this reporting period, we documented 43 such cases, but the real number is probably higher," the Head of the Mission said.

She informed that about 90% of people interviewed by the Mission representatives, who were detained in the occupied territories, reported that they had been tortured and ill-treated during detention. According to her, this trend also applies to prisoners of war.

“Survivor accounts describe incredible brutality, including horrific accounts of brutal beatings. In some cases, this led to broken bones, knocked out teeth," Bell stated.

"The report contains a call to UN member states to demand that the Russian authorities grant access for independent observers to all places of detention and internment. In contrast to this situation, the Human Rights Monitoring Mission has full access to Russian prisoners of war in Ukraine, where we observe an improvement in treatment," said the Head of the Mission.

As reported, at least 1,028 civilians were killed and 3,593 wounded in Ukraine as a result of hostilities between February 1 and July 31.