Andriy Yermak presented at the conference of Ombudsmen and National Human Rights Plan for the Protection of Ukrainian prisoners held by Russia
Addressing the participants of the conference, Andriy Yermak noted that since then eight years ago, at the end of February 2014, Russia invaded Ukraine and occupied the Ukrainian Peninsula of Crimea, there were no legal norms that would not violate the Russian Federation. “And today, in the ninth month of a full -scale war, which Russia has sold against Ukraine, forced to state that in Europe in the 21st century there are again death camps.
They operate in Russia and in the occupied Ukrainian territories. It's hard to believe, it does not fit in your head, but it is a fact, ”said the Presidential Office Head. Andriy Yermak emphasized that Russia as the successor of the USSR is a participant in the 1949 Geneva Conventions, including the Convention on the Care of Prisoners of Pursuing. However, it cynically violates the rules of this document.
“UN representatives and the International Committee of the Red Cross are not allowed to be allowed to Ukrainian prisoners of war. Russia blocks the work of the UN mission to investigate a terrorist attack against Mariupol's defenders, which are held in the Olenovsky detention center. Only there, Russian terrorists in uniform mercilessly destroyed about five dozen of our military. They probably aimed to hide other crimes, ”Andrei Yermak said.
He stressed that every place of illegal maintenance of Ukrainians is a testament to Russia's impunity, which violates the rules of international humanitarian law.
The head of the head of state also recalled other crimes of the Russian Federation: Russian troops destroy dozens of settlements in Ukraine, methodically destroy critically important civil infrastructure, beat in warehouses with food and fuel, supermarkets, hospitals, universities, and on the eve of the winter, they try to destroy Ukrainian . “The world learned about the city of Bucha through the mass burials of civilians, tortured and killed by Russian invaders.
But we see the same picture in almost every Ukrainian city liberated, ”Andrey Yermak said. The head of the Presidential Office of Ukraine called on the international community not to delay, but to act as actively as possible. “We need to save the Kremlin prisoners. Every day, every hour cost our people life. Protection of human rights in occupation is one of the central challenges we face. And here you can do without world solidarity and the desire for justice, ”he said.
The Head of the Presidential Office of Ukraine presented a plan for the participants of the conference, which provides a number of steps. First, the issue of Olenivka, access to Ukrainian prisoners of war and the protection of their rights, as well as the adoption of the appropriate joint declaration of the Ombudsmen. "The document must be strongly condemned by war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide that Russia commits against Ukrainians," Andrei Yermak stressed.
Secondly, he said, a large joint mission with the participation of Ombudsmen from different countries, which will be there until Russia, should be sent to the collision line until Russia has access to the forced maintenance of Ukrainian prisoners. "We also need to create international missions of Ombudsmen who will seek access to the Kremlin's prisoners and civilian hostages," added the head of the office of the Head of State.
Third, it is necessary to introduce regular publication of thematic reports, which, among other things, will consist of eyewitness testimony. “And these are just a few tools that you already have. If we do not take immediate steps together, crematoriums may appear in Russian death camps, ”Andrey Yermak said.
According to the results of the conference, representatives of national human rights institutions and Ombudsmen approved the Declaration, which confirmed a common purpose for the need to comply and prevent further violations of human rights in the context of the full -scale war of Russia against Ukraine and violation of the territorial integrity of our country. This should be done through the creation of an International Consulting Platform for Cooperation.
The participants of the event also acknowledged that Russia's war against Ukraine causes gross violations and abuse of human rights, causes a humanitarian crisis and human rights violations in our country and the world. In the Declaration, the participants called on the legislative bodies of their countries to initiate the development and adoption of documents aimed at protecting and ensuring human rights and preventing them.