NEW YORK, 7 SEPTEMBER – The Security Council discussed today the forced transfers of Ukrainian civilians to Russia. Italy took the floor to ask Russia to admit UN and Red Cross officials to the so called ‘filtration camps’ and allow the immediate return of Ukrainian citizens transferred to Russia with the use of force.
“The ‘filtration system’ of Ukrainian civilians we have heard about today is a violation of the ‘jus in bello’ as profound as we have not witnessed in Europe since the second World War”, said the Permanent Representative of Italy to the UN, Ambassador Maurizio Massari.
In addition to this already grave breach of international humanitarian law, which could be prosecuted as a war crime and a crime against humanity by the International Criminal Court, credible sources have also raised awareness of potential cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, illegal biometric data collection, torture, arbitrary detentions and enforced disappearances.
“The seriousness of this situation requires two swift and crucial actions – Massari continued – firstly, we call upon Russia to grant unfettered access for both UN bodies and international NGOs, such as the ICRC, to freely and safely visit the temporary placement centers with direct and complete access to these civilians, in line with the Geneva conventions.
Secondly, we call on Russia to ensure the immediate return of all the forcibly transferred Ukrainian citizens, particularly women and children, to their territories of origin and their full freedom of movement towards third Countries. The effective evacuation mechanism established in Mariupol, thanks to the coordination efforts of the UN and ICRC, should be replicated to end this heinous filtration system”. Finally, the Italian intervention reaffirmed support for independent, international and national mechanisms that investigate to avoid the impunity of the perpetrators of these severe violations.
Ilze Brands Kehris, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, spoke to the briefing via video conference about persistent allegations of forced displacement, deportation and so-called ‘filtration camps’ run by Russia and affiliated local forces. As people fleeing danger have often felt compelled to evacuate in any possible direction, irrespective of their preferences, she told the Council that a significant number of documented cases of civilians have been displaced to Russia.
While there, they may move about freely, but should they chose to return to Ukraine, they are not provided with the necessary support, thus barring their repatriation. There have also been credible allegations of forced transfers of unaccompanied children to Russian occupied territory, or to the country itself. “We are concerned that the Russian authorities have adopted a simplified procedure to grant Russian citizenship to children without parental care, and that these children would be eligible for adoption by Russian families,” said Ms. Kehris. (@OnuItalia)