13:00 04.08.2022

ICRC unable to access prisoners of war wounded in Olenivka

2 min read
ICRC unable to access prisoners of war wounded in Olenivka

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has beeb unable to gain access to Ukrainian prisoners of war who suffered in Olenivka. This was reported by the ICRC press service.

"Our offer to donate supplies remains unanswered," the committee said in the statement.

The ICRC said they would continue to request access to Ukrainian prisoners of war held in Olenivka or elsewhere, and were ready to expand work in Olenivka if the necessary security guarantees were received.

"We already have medical, forensic, and humanitarian teams working in the vicinity since we have been present in Donetsk since 2014. It is imperative that the ICRC be granted immediate access to the Olenivka facility, and other places where the wounded and dead might have been transferred in order to carry out its humanitarian mission," the ICRC said.

In addition to providing assistance to the wounded and the dead, the ICRC will also meet with prisoners of war, register them and discuss with them in private the conditions of their internment and their treatment, in accordance with the obligations of States under international humanitarian law and the Third Geneva Convention.

The committee said representatives of the Red Cross visited Olenivka earlier to deliver water tanks, but did not get access to prisoners of war on an individual basis.

"As of yet, we have not been granted access to the PoWs affected by the attack nor do we have security guarantees to carry out this visit. Our offer to donate supplies remains unanswered. We will keep requesting access to POWs who are or were held in Olenivka, and any other sites where PoWs are held, guided by our humanitarian commitment and our mandate under the Geneva Conventions," the ICRC said.

AD
AD
AD
AD
AD