GENEVA: The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture, Alice Jill Edwards, said on Friday that Russian armed forces and affiliated groups systematically use torture in occupied regions of Ukraine, indicating a “deliberate policy.”
Following a visit to war-torn Ukraine in September, Edwards stated that the significant number of credible allegations of torture and other forms of cruel treatment suggests that torture is ingrained in Russia’s approach to war.
Speaking to the UN Human Rights Council, Edwards emphasized that these heinous crimes were not sporadic, but rather orchestrated and systematic. Ukrainian prosecutors informed her of approximately 103,000 open cases related to war crimes and crimes against humanity, with the majority categorized as torture cases.
Having personally reviewed numerous cases involving alleged abuse by Russian forces and allies, Edwards concluded that there was a clear intent and purpose behind the torture, indicating a deliberate policy rather than isolated incidents.
In her report, Edwards highlighted that torture was carried out in an organized manner across different occupied regions, suggesting direct authorization and deliberate planning.
Reiterating her call for Moscow to denounce torture unequivocally and take punitive action against perpetrators, Edwards also urged Russia to allow international monitors into places of detention and to conduct transparent investigations into the allegations.
Regarding the treatment of Russian prisoners of war in Ukrainian custody, Edwards noted sincere efforts by Ukrainian authorities to treat them respectfully. However, she expressed concerns about conditions in certain Ukrainian penal facilities, particularly in Lviv, and urged prompt investigation of allegations of abusive treatment by Ukrainian officials.
In conclusion, Edwards called on Ukrainian authorities to promptly investigate allegations of abusive treatment, enhance training and disciplinary measures, and ensure the protection of detainees’ legal rights.
