Russia's human rights official urges UN, ICRC to force Ukraine 'not to torture captives'

As the war between Russia and Ukraine continues to escalate with no signs of peace talks from both sides, Russian Commissioner for Human Rights Tatiana Moskalkova has urged her Ukrainian side, the United Nations, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to demand Ukraine to stop torturing Russian prisoners, reported Sputnik. Citing the Geneva Convention of 1949 treaty, the Russian official said Ukraine must follow international legal standards for humanitarian treatment in war and stop acts degrading to human dignity.

"I urge the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, the UN Committee against Torture, the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the International Committee of the Red Cross to demand that the Ukrainian side immediately comply with the Geneva Convention of 1949, which prohibits torture, violence, and acts degrading to human dignity," Moskalkova said on Telegram.

Russian official urges UN, ICRC to stop Ukrainian forces from torturing prisoners 

Moskalkova said that she was raising this issue because the relatives of captured Russian troops had received footage that showed violence against the prisoners. She added that Ukrainian troops are causing threats by saying the captives would be killed if the people behind the camera do not receive a ransom. The Russian Commissioner for Human Rights said that she would also appeal to the chief of the Russian Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin, on such cases. She further expressed the hope that the captured soldiers would be released.

Earlier, reports had emerged that Ukrainians routinely beat and maimed war prisoners. Vladislav Yegilnitsky, a member of the Donetsk People’s Republic armed forces, said that Ukrainians "used torture." "Their favourite tool was a hammer." "They slammed fingers with a hammer and used electric current," the soldier said.

Mikhail Yanko, who is a soldier with the Lugansk People’s Republic armed forces, said that he too had seen Ukrainians torture prisoners at the gym. He said the war prisoners were not given ample food, and the captives were held in a cold room. However, Ukrainian authorities have always denied these accusations.

Image: AP