The United States on Wednesday condemned Russia’s plan to hold trials in Mariupol, captured in May, to try Ukrainian prisoners of war there, stressing their “illegitimate” nature.
“These proposed show trials are illegitimate and a travesty of justice and we strongly condemn them,” US State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.
According to Washington, Moscow intends to “divert” the attention of the international community from the “atrocities committed by Russian forces in Ukraine” since the Russian invasion of this country on February 24.
The United States calls for respect for the Geneva Conventions
“All members of the Ukrainian armed forces, including Ukrainian and foreign volunteers, are entitled to prisoner-of-war status if captured and must be treated and protected by this status, in accordance with the Geneva conventions,” the statement added. press release calling on Moscow to “respect its obligations under international law”.
A spokeswoman for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ravina Shamdasani, in Geneva, stressed that few details are known about what Moscow presents as an “international court.”
But he said photos and videos posted by the media and social media appear to show metal cages, apparently intended to house detainees during trials, being built at the Mariupol Philharmonic Hall.
The Third Geneva Convention grants expanded protection to prisoners of war who cannot be prosecuted for their direct participation in hostilities.
Source: BFM TV
