Ukraine files with ECHR new urgent claims to Russia as to captured Azovstal defenders

That’s according to a joint statement by the Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ukrinform reports.

"Today, August 23, 2022, Ukraine submitted a number of new urgent demands under Rule 39 of the ECHR Regulations to ensure the right to life and the prohibition of torture, guaranteed by Articles 2 and 3 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, in relation to the Ukrainian defenders of Azovstal, who, selflessly holding on to the defense until the last, were captured by the Russian occupiers," the statement reads.

It is noted that the petition was filed within the framework of the interstate case "Ukraine v. Russia (X)" under application No. 11055/22 regarding the violation of human rights during the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine also demands that urgent measures be taken to prevent the exploitation of Ukrainian defenders in any kind of "tribunals" and other sham courts staged by the Russian invaders.

It is reported that Ukraine separately appealed to the ECHR with a demand to compel Russia to provide information regarding the detention conditions and medical treatment required by the Ukrainian heroes.

"Ukrainian defenders of Mariupol are combatants, legal participants in hostilities. If captured, they shall receive the status of prisoners of war, which requires proper treatment based on the Third Geneva Convention on the Treatment of Prisoners of War of 1949. Conducting any trials of prisoners of war for propaganda purposes is prohibited and equated to war crimes. We appeal to the world with the demand to use all available mechanisms to protect our prisoners of war and to hold the Russian Federation and specific individuals accountable for their crimes," emphasized the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba.

At the same time, Deputy Minister of Justice Iryna Mudra noted that Ukraine records the crimes committed by Russian Federation, and uses available international legal opportunities to ensure the rights of Ukrainian defenders held captive by the Russian occupiers.

"Our position is clear: they are prisoners of war, they shall not be subjected to any trial. We expect that the ECHR will carefully consider and grant Ukraine's claim," Mudra said.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, the invaders plan to execute a ‘lynch trial’ of Ukrainian defenders in the temporarily captured Mariupol. Ukraine calls on the entire civilized world to prevent this from happening.