The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turkasked this Tuesday that any negotiations for a ceasefire or a peace agreement in Ukraine begin by centrally considering the impact of Russian aggression on the civilian population. “War takes an incredible toll on civilians.“, he stated at the Körber Foundation Foreign Policy Forum, where he warned of “an escalation at this very moment.”
Türk detailed that, compared to last year, “we see a 26% increase in civilian casualties this year” and noted the “massive destruction of infrastructure, especially when it comes to energy“, a damage that, he said, directly affects millions of people. “There is absolutely no doubt about it,” he stressed.
The high commissioner insisted that “whatever the ceasefire or peace negotiations, They must start taking into account the impact on peopleHe also regretted that human rights principles are not “sufficiently present” in the dialogue promoted by USA to find a way out of the war. She mentioned in particular the absence of elements linked to the women, peace and security agenda, which – she stated – “should influence these negotiations.”
Türk specified that ceasefire discussions must take into account the direct effect on the human rights of the civilian population, including “detainees, children, prisoners of war or people living under occupation.” In that sense, he stressed that these aspects “must also be reflected.”
The Austrian diplomat expressed that he would like to see “a total exchange of prisoners of war“In addition, he denounced that his office observes “systematic torture of detainees by the Russians”, for which he pointed out that an immediate measure to build confidence would be to end this practice, release the detainees and make a concrete effort to locate children affected by the war. He also demanded an end to indoctrination in the territories occupied by Russia and to facilitate family visits.
“There is a lot that could be done that would really build trust“, he stated, before also asking to put an end to the attacks, which – he warned – are increasing even during his speech at the forum.
Asked if he sees a willingness to include these issues in the peace plan, Türk responded that he does not currently see them reflected in the draft, although he hopes “that arises in the negotiations”.
According to the latest report from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Aid (OCHA), in almost four years of war due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, more than 14,500 people died, almost 38,500 were injured and 13 million inhabitants, equivalent to 36% of the population, need humanitarian assistance.
(With information from EFE)
