Ukrainians released from Russian captivity speak at UN Security Council special meeting
Ukrainians released from Russian captivity visited the United States and took part in a separate special meeting of the UN Security Council dedicated to Russian crimes against prisoners of war and civilians Ukrainians, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War said.
"The main event of the visit was the speech of the Ukrainian delegation during a separate special meeting of the UN Security Council dedicated to Russian crimes against prisoners of war and Ukrainian civilians. The meeting was held on the initiative of the Ukrainian side under the chairmanship of Great Britain with the support of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and the United States," the Coordination Headquarters said in the Telegram channel on Wednesday.
The purpose of the visit was also to inform the international community and the U.S. society about the problem of cruel treatment of prisoners and enslaved civilians in Russian places of detention, which is systemic, remains relevant and requires decisive response.
In particular, Maksym Butkevych, who was released from Russian captivity, told how he was forced to sign documents under strong moral and physical pressure, without even having the opportunity to read them, and subsequently he was convicted "for violating the Geneva Conventions."
During the meeting a member of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry to investigate violations in Ukraine Pablo de Greiff said the Russian authorities are using torture against captured Ukrainians as part of a coordinated state policy, thus committing crimes against humanity.
According to the Coordinating agency, the invited speakers expressed a common opinion that the Russian side is not fulfilling its obligations under the Geneva Conventions, and the International Committee of the Red Cross still does not have full access to prisoners and civilians held by the Russians.
It is reported that during the visit, the delegation held advocacy meetings with representatives of the American establishment, in particular, at the U.S. State Department. The Ukrainians were also officially received by Ambassador of the Netherlands Birgitta Tazelaar, held a roundtable with the leaders of the famous U.S. Institute of Peace, headed by Ambassador William Taylor, and at the Ukrainian Institute of America (New York).
The Ukrainians also shared their terrible experience of being in Russian captivity with leading American and British media.
The organization of the visit took place with the support of the Diana Podolianchuk Charitable Foundation, the human rights organization "Center for Civil Liberties" and Ukrainian MPs Ihor Kopytin and Andriy Bohdanets.
On the initiative of Ukraine, a meeting of the UN Security Council on the topic of Russian crimes against Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians was held on January 13.