UN Spox: 90% Of Ukrainian Prisoners Tried In Russian Courts Face Terrorism Charges 438 Have Died In Captivity

(MENAFN- UkrinForm) Mariana Katzarova, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Russia, made this statement in an interview with Ukrinform.

She noted that 438 Ukrainians have died in Russian captivity, and the torture of detainees remains a systemic practice fueled by impunity.

According to her, the Russian authorities have designated the Azov Battalion as a terrorist organization, and its fighters-despite their status as prisoners of war-are being tried as terrorists.

“This applies to most Ukrainian detainees in Russia who are brought before courts, including military courts. Perhaps 90 percent of them are prosecuted on terrorism-related charges rather than for their participation in hostilities,” Katzarova noted.

She recalled that, under the Geneva Conventions, prisoners of war are protected by international humanitarian law and may be held accountable for participating in hostilities as military personnel, but they cannot be charged with terrorism simply for the fact of participating in the war.

Commenting on reports of the deaths of 438 Ukrainians in Russian captivity, the speaker stated that she does not expect the Russian authorities to investigate these deaths.

“The machinery of torture is working overtime, and it is particularly brutal against Ukrainian detainees because the level of impunity is so high. Sometimes, torturing Ukrainian detainees can even earn you a promotion,” she noted.

Among the international mechanisms for holding perpetrators accountable, Katzarova cited the International Criminal Court, as well as the principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows states to initiate proceedings against specific perpetrators of international crimes. To do so, she said, funding, political will, and appropriate resources are necessary.

The speaker cited examples of the torture of Ukrainian civilian captives. In particular, she spoke about Natalia Vlasova, who, she said, was raped, tortured with electric shocks, and had her teeth filed down with a metal file by a group of 15 members of the armed formations of the so-called“DPR.”

Vlasova described these crimes during a hearing at a military court in Rostov. However, instead of ordering an investigation, the judge sentenced her to 18 years and two months in prison. She is currently being held in a Russian penal colony.

“I have a list of 20 women, but there are many more,” Katzarova noted.

Katzarova emphasized the need to document such crimes for future trials and to hold the perpetrators accountable.

She also cited the creation of a UN mandate to monitor and prepare reports on the human rights situation in Russia as an important outcome of her work.

Read also: Azov fighter sentenced to 29 years by Russia returns from captivit

“The most important achievement is the very existence of a mandate to monitor and report on the human rights situation in one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council – among the most untouchable states. This is the first time in the UN's 80-year history that such a mandate has been established,” said the rapporteur.

She is convinced that the testimonies she has gathered and the documented cases of violations should serve as the basis for further investigations.

As reported by Ukrinform, in June, two captured“Azov” fighter were sentenced in Russia to 19 and 20 years in prison.

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