The UN building in Geneva. Two years since the tragedy in Elenovka: the UN called for those responsible for the deaths of prisoners of war to be held accountable Human Rights
This week marks two years since the death of at least 50 Ukrainian prisoners of war and the injury of another 151 people in the penal colony No. 120 near Elenovka in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, which is under the control of the Russian Federation.
In connection with this tragic date, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) recalls that prisoners of war are protected by international humanitarian law, which requires their humane treatment and the obligation to ensure their safety. The death or serious injury of prisoners of war must be followed by a formal and thorough investigation by the detaining power. Any suspicion of criminal acts must be promptly, thoroughly, independently, impartially and transparently investigated, and those responsible must be brought to justice.
Despite these commitments, the OHCHR said in a statement, the Russian Federation authorities took steps to obstruct independent fact-finding efforts on the explosions in Elenovka. The site was not preserved and physical evidence was damaged or destroyed. The Russian Federation did not grant access to UN observers or conduct any other independent assessments. Instead, the Russian authorities claimed that the attack was caused by HIMARS rockets fired by the Ukrainian armed forces.
Based on interviews with more than 50 witnesses and victims, as well as an analysis of video and photographic evidence, OHCHR concluded last year that the explosions were not caused by HIMARS rockets. While the exact type of weapon and its place of origin could not be determined, the pattern of structural damage indicated that the munition had flown in an east-west direction.
The lack of accountability for the deaths and injuries at the Elenovka prison fits into a larger context of widespread, routine torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war, the OHCHR said. Russian authorities continue to subject prisoners of war to harsh conditions of detention, deprive them of medical care, and restrict their contact with their families and the outside world.
The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine continues to interview Ukrainian prisoners of war following their return to their homeland, and reiterates its calls for the truth to be established and for those responsible to be held accountable in accordance with the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law and human rights.
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