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UN issues report condemning treatment of prisoners of war in Russia-Ukraine war – JURIST

The UN Head of the Human Rights Monitoring Commission Watch, Matilda Boligner, Friday issued a report regarding the rights of Prisoners of  War (POWs) in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.The report detailed a total of 8,000 people dead and 9,000 injured, many of whom were victims of the use of missiles and explosive weapons. She also reported 600 forced disappearances in the past year, with survivors detailing their subjection to torture, ill-treatment and sexual violence.The UN also reported on interviews conducted with the withheld POWs. The UN stated that, unlike the Ukrainian government, which provided them with “confidential, unimpeded access” to the official places where these prisoners were detained, the Russian Federation failed to do so hence the difficulty in collecting accurate data. The UN, however, expressed its displeasure in the summary execution of 25 Russian POWs who were killed just upon capture during combat. Additionally, 229 others were reported to have been subjected to mock executions, beatings and stabbings of their limbs during interrogation by Ukrainian forces. This was also the case for the 203 Ukrainian POWs who were subjected to ill-treatment in exchange for military information despite getting better protection at the beginning of their capture.The UN lauded Ukraine for strengthening its laws against torture by amendment of their Criminal Code and stated that these countries continue to violate human rights by conducting arbitrary arrest and torture of POWs, which according to international law were absolute. They also indicated their concern about the close confinement of POWs which constituted human rights infringement.The UN in January reported that 18,483 civilians had been killed or injured in the war at that point, with numbers rising since.