UN Human rights report details appalling treatment of prisoners of war and civilians
OHCHR statement discusses widespread abuses on both sides of the Russo-Ukrainian War
*TRIGGER WARNING: DISCUSSION OF VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE*
The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine released a report on March 24th detailing horrific human rights violations on both sides of the Russo-Ukrainian War. Torture, sexual assault, arbitrary arrest of civilians, murder of Prisoners Of War (POWs) and mistreatment of POWs have been committed by both sides. This is based on the statement delivered by Matilda Bogner.
In terms of methodology, any report during the ongoing war will prove difficult to verify in terms of accuracy until after cessation of hostilities. Furthermore, the study was conducted by interview and while their methods are likely very effective, there can be bias error in this. Further, the writers of the report were not given access to Russian POW facilities.
Civilians
Documented are 621 cases of disappearances and arbitrary detention of civilians at the hands of the Russian Military, of whom 90% reported ill-treatment and/or torture. There are 91 cases of similar treatment by Ukrainian Government agencies, of which half reported ill-treatment and/or torture.
There were 133 documented victims of sexual violence. 109 are attributed to the Russian forces and 24 to the Ukrainian SBU (Security Service) and police. These were perpetrated against members of the civil population and POWs, 85 were men, 45 women and 3 girls.
Of the 14,000 documented civilian casualties, the report notes that 90% were caused by explosives weapons like artillery and missiles.
Forced transfers of civilians into Russia have been documented in cases in which people are in institutional care and unaccompanied children.
POWs
The report authors interviewed approximately 200 Ukrainian and 200 Russian POWs under conditions of anonymity. Both sides have been committing atrocities against the other, including murders on and off the battlefield of POWs, beatings, degradations and torture.
The mistreatment suffered by the respective POWs appears to happen at different stages on average. The Russian POWs suffered torture at the hands of their captors, including confirming the several now infamous kneecapping videos. Once in the detention facilities, POWs reported their conditions improving, but still subject to mistreatment.
Ukrainian POWs appear to have suffered less mistreatment at the hands of the soldiers capturing them, but more in subsequent POW facilities. The majority of Ukrainian soldiers murdered after capture were killed by Wagner Group mercenaries. The camp conditions, which are run by the Russian Penitentiary Service are apparently appalling, but as noted, the report writers did not get access.
Some key thoughts I had from this nightmarish report:
The recent release and death of Oleg Mudrak, the, Nazi commander of 1st Azov Battalion, of complications owing to mistreatment was likely an example of the terrible conditions Ukrainian POWs face in detention and in keeping with the UN Report.
The report notes that 67% of Ukrainian POW interviewees were “67% fell into the hands of Russian forces after their surrender was negotiated by commanders.” This is a very interestingly worded statement and makes me believe these are troops captured and exchanged after the siege of Mariupol.
The abuses of civilians and POWs by both sides is very much in keeping with my (and many others) prior analysis of the situation.
Civilian casualties are gruesome, but not as bad as I would have expected.
The transfers of civilians into Russia proper has been luridly painted in the media. This report doesn’t make it look great, but less malign than our mainstream would give us.
Neither side is following any semblance of law or due process in this conflict. Ill-treatment of POWs is the rule as opposed to the exception.
Brutal and callous treatment of civilians by both sides is ongoing.
Based on this report, describing the Russian invasion as “genocide,” as our mainstream media and our own politicians do, is grossly inappropriate.
Ian Barclay
March 25th 2023
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