HRC51 - Interactive Dialogue with the Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine

HRC51 - Interactive Dialogue with the Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine

United Nations Human Rights Council

51^st session

Interactive Dialogue with the Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine

23 September 2022

EU Statement

Mr. President,

The EU wishes to thank the Commission of Inquiry for their oral update and expresses its unwavering support to their work.

We remain appalled by increasing evidence of human rights violations and violations of international humanitarian law in Ukraine, such as indiscriminate attacks and attacks intentionally directed against civilians and civilian objects, that may amount to war crimes. We are devastated by the repeated discoveries of mass graves in liberated areas, most recently in Izyum, and the increasing horrific number of civilian casualties across the country. Shocking are reports about arbitrary executions and detentions, torture and other ill-treatment, sexual and gender-based violence, unlawful forcible transfers and deportation of a significant number of Ukrainian civilians, including children, to territories under Russian military control and Russia, illegal adoptions, as well as the dreadful treatment of prisoners of war, including women.

International human rights law and international humanitarian law must be fully upheld!

We stress the importance of collecting, consolidating and analysing evidence of violations and abuses of human rights and violations of IHL, and related crimes committed in the context of the Russia's aggression against Ukraine, and support all measures to ensure accountability. We also underline that all international and regional accountability and monitoring mechanisms should be granted full, secure, and unrestricted access to the entire territory of Ukraine, including to all war-related detainees.

We continue to urge Russia to end the unbearable human suffering by ending its illegal war of choice immediately.

Distinguished Commissioners, could you detail on the current human rights situation of children in Ukraine, including those with disabilities? In your view, how can the international community contribute to protection efforts in this regard?

I thank you.