VIENNA, July 14 (EFE).- A new expert report published in Vienna this Thursday by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) confirmed hundreds of cases of war crimes allegedly committed by Russia during the invasion of Ukraine.
Based on information collected on land between April 1 and June 25, the comprehensive 115-page document cites “a clear pattern of violations of international humanitarian law attributable mainly to the Russian armed forces.”
It also emphasizes “the magnitude and frequency of indiscriminate attacks against civilians and civilian objects” and mentions “unnecessary and disproportionate harm to civilians”.
These attacks are “credible evidence” that the Russian armed forces are waging hostilities “in disregard of their fundamental obligation to abide by the fundamental principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution that underpin international humanitarian law,” he said.
Alleged Russian war crimes were committed mainly on the territory of Ukraine controlled by Moscow, including the so-called “People’s Republics” of Donetsk and Lugansk.
The report makes clear that most of the crimes documented were committed by Russian forces, but acknowledges that there have also been cases committed by Ukraine, notably the ill-treatment of Russian POWs or the arrest of Ukrainian nationals who qualify as “Russia”. sympathizers”.
According to the British OSCE Ambassador to Neil Bush, the results of the report are in line with the results of the first report covering the period from 24 February to 1 April.
Speaking to reporters in Vienna today, the British diplomat said the report told “a real-life horror story due to the actions of the Russian government”. This fear is a daily reality for people in Ukraine.
“The rape of women and children, the killing of journalists and attacks on hospitals and schools, the use of cluster munitions, shallow graves, the threat of cholera. This is an insult to humanity,” Bush said.
The report was prepared in accordance with the mandate of the so-called “Moscow Mechanism”, mandated by 45 of the 57 OSCE participating States to clarify allegations of human rights violations and possible war crimes.
The aim is to bring those responsible for these crimes to justice.
While members of the OSCE team for the first report were unable to travel to Ukraine, the three authors of this second report traveled to the occupied country between 20-23 June.
In addition, the OSCE has established secure hotlines to receive information and reports on alleged war crimes, as well as receive and analyze information from NGOs and other representatives of civil society.
The report also highlights the existence of so-called “filtering camps” located mostly on the territory of two pro-Russian rebel republics in eastern Ukraine.
According to the report, tens of thousands of Ukrainians passed through these centers, where they were transferred to Russia against their will after being controlled by degrading methods.
“Those who do not pass the review process are usually transferred to the territory of the two People’s Republics and their whereabouts are unknown,” the document says.
The report states that the Russian authorities did not have to assume their international legal responsibilities by handing over persons or detainees to the authorities of the insurgent republics.
The document also condemns the deportation of more than 1.3 million Ukrainian civilians to Russia, including about 200,000 children, despite the clear international ban.
source: Noticias
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