Russia has a responsibility to treat prisoners of war and civilian detainees humanely: UK statement at the UN
Source: gov.uk (2025-01-13)

Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UK-hosted UN Arria meeting on violations of international humanitarian law against Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilian detainees.

As we approach the grim three-year milestone of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the UK, and I know many others here, are deeply concerned by reports of systematic ill-treatment of detainees, some of whom we will hear from today, as well as experts including Pablo de Grieff from the Independent Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine.

Among the most disturbing reports are those of torture.

Reporting by the UN Human Rights Office, the Independent Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, and the Moscow Mechanism have consistently detailed the ill-treatment and torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) by Russian authorities. In recent months, those assessments have only worsened.

The Commission of Inquiry has concluded that Russia’s use of torture against POWs and civilian detainees amounts to crimes against humanity, and their reports are chilling.

They include reports that detainees have been subject to beatings, psychological pressure, prolonged stress positions, and mock executions.

The reports find that interrogations are often accompanied by the worst kinds of torture including burns, and rounds of electric shocks amplified by water.

Sexual violence is the norm for detainees, both men and women, with POWs enduring rape, attacks on genital organs, and threats of sexual mutilation and castration.

The Commission of Inquiry has concluded that Russian authorities have violated both international humanitarian law and human rights law, and have committed torture as a crime against humanity.

Additionally, the Ukrainian Prosecutor-General’s Office reports that 147 Ukrainian POWs have been executed by Russian forces since the start of the full-scale invasion. This is yet another violation of international humanitarian law.

Russia has a responsibility to ensure prisoners of war and civilian detainees must be treated humanely, under the third and fourth Geneva Conventions.

Colleagues, these are not isolated incidents by rogue officers.

Testimonies gathered by the Commission of Inquiry reveal that Russian State services coordinated and enforced these violent practices.

Evidence points towards a coordinated state policy, which allows Russian officials to humiliate and punish Ukrainian civilians and POWs with impunity.

Meanwhile, the reports highlight that the families of those detained are kept in the dark about the whereabouts of their loved ones, who are enduring this violence.

Those who are released must confront the grave psychological impact and a long and difficult road to reintegration.

The Commission of Inquiry recognises the support given to those released by Ukraine to survivors, and encourages continued medical and psychosocial support to all victims.

The UK calls on Russia to uphold its international obligations towards all those individuals it has in detention, as we expect of every country currently engaged in conflict.

In particular, we ask Russia to confirm the full names of all detainees under its control, where they are being held and on what grounds.

We ask that the Russian Federation ensures the humane treatment of all those in detention, and grants the ICRC unimpeded access to places of detention, in line with the Geneva Conventions.

Finally, we call on Russia to uphold its obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law, and to release all arbitrarily detained civilians as well as POWs.

Today, colleagues, we will hear the invaluable perspectives of those who have survived the horrors of this reality.

I’m joined by Valerii Horishnii, Nariman Dzhelyal and Maksym Butkevych to my right. Thank you all for coming.