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TWN
Info Service on UN Sustainable Development (May22/05)
UN: HRC demands immediate cessation of hostilities against Ukraine Geneva, 13 May (Kanaga Raja) - The United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) on 12 May reiterated its demand for the immediate cessation of military hostilities against Ukraine, and for all parties to the conflict to respect the fundamental principles and rules of international humanitarian law. In a resolution (A/HRC/S-34/L.1) adopted by vote and as orally revised, the Council stressed the need to refrain from any state-sponsored disinformation, propaganda for war or advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence, related to the aggression against Ukraine. The Human Rights Council held a special session on 12 May to address "the deteriorating human rights situation in Ukraine stemming from the Russian aggression." The special session was convened following an official request submitted by Ukraine, and at the end of the debate on 12 May, a resolution was adopted by a vote of 33 in favour, two against and 12 abstentions. Those that voted in favour of the resolution were Argentina, Benin, Brazil, Cote d'Ivoire, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Honduras, Indonesia, Japan, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mexico, Montenegro, Nepal, the Netherlands, Paraguay, Poland, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Somalia, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States. China and Eritrea voted against the resolution. Those that abstained in the vote were Armenia, Bolivia, Cameroon, Cuba, India, Kazakhstan, Namibia, Pakistan, Senegal, Sudan, Uzbekistan and Venezuela. In a video message to the special session on 12 May, Ms Michelle Bachelet, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said her Office continues to verify allegations of violations of international human rights law and of international humanitarian law, many of which may amount to war crimes. Ms Bachelet said that the pattern of causes of civilian casualties that her Office has been recording in Ukraine has not significantly changed since the last time she briefed the Council in March. The vast majority continue to be caused by the use of explosive weapons with wide area effects in populated areas, such as shelling from heavy artillery, including multiple launch rocket systems, and missile and air strikes, she said. "According to our information, while such incidents can be attributed to both parties to the conflict, most of these casualties appear attributable to the Russian armed forces and affiliated armed groups," she added. "Last week, my Monitoring Mission in Ukraine visited 14 towns and villages in the Kyiv and Chernihiv regions which, until the end of March, were controlled by Russian armed forces. My team heard first-hand accounts of relatives, neighbours and friends being killed, injured, detained and disappeared." To date, over 1,000 civilian bodies have been recovered in the Kyiv region alone. Some of these people were killed in hostilities, others appear to have been summarily executed. Others still have died because of stress to their health caused by hostilities and the lack of medical aid, said the High Commissioner. They have spent weeks in basements being threatened by Russian soldiers with abuse or death if they tried to leave, thereby placing these individuals at severe risk from the hostilities, she added. "In the village of Yahidne in Chernihiv region, 360 residents, including 74 children and 5 persons with disabilities, were forced by Russian armed forces to stay for 28 days in the basement of a school that they were using as their base." The basement was extremely overcrowded. People had to sit for days without an opportunity to lie down. There were no toilet facilities, water or ventilation. 10 older people died, said Ms Bachelet. The scale of unlawful killings, including indicia of summary executions in areas to the north of Kyiv is shocking, she added. "While we have information about 300 such killings, the figures will continue to increase as new evidence becomes available. These killings of civilians often appeared to be intentional, carried out by snipers and soldiers." Civilians were killed when crossing the road or leaving their shelters to seek food and water. Others were killed as they fled in their vehicles, said the rights chief. Ms Bachelet said unarmed local men were killed because Russian soldiers suspected them of supporting Ukrainian forces or otherwise being a potential threat, and some were tortured before being killed. "To date, we have recorded destruction or damage to hundreds of educational and medical facilities, and tens of thousands civilian houses, as a result of the hostilities," she added. "Throughout the country, at least 50 Christian, Jewish and Muslim places of worship of different denominations have been damaged; more than half of these have been severely damaged and cannot be used." The city of Mariupol and its residents have suffered unimaginable horrors since the Russian Federation's armed attack started, said the High Commissioner. "I am shocked at the scale of the destruction, and the numerous violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law that have reportedly been committed in the city, including attacks against civilians and civilian objects. A once flourishing city lies in ruins," the rights chief added. "We estimate the civilian death toll in Mariupol to lie in the thousands, while only with time will the true scale of atrocities, casualties and damage become clear." Ms Bachelet noted that active hostilities are now focused on the Azovstal industrial area, with residential areas of the city now largely occupied by the Russian armed forces and affiliated armed groups. "This raises human rights concerns of a different nature than those arising in areas of active hostilities," she said. "My office is looking into allegations of sexual violence and has verified a dozen cases across the country. I am concerned by allegations of sexual violence that have emerged from areas in the Kyiv region that were formerly under the control of Russian armed forces." Ms Bachelet said that there were instances of rape and murder of victims or their relatives, and survivors are often unwilling to be interviewed because of fear and stigma. "Women and girls are the most frequently cited victims; however, reports of men and boys being affected are starting to emerge," she added.
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