May 29, 2026 | 11:34 am
Content warning: This article contains references to sexual assault and violence.TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The United Nations has added Israeli and Russian security forces to its blacklist for conflict-related sexual violence for the first time, according to an annual report to be released on Friday.UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had warned both Israel and Russia last year of possible inclusion on the blacklist. Both countries rejected the allegations.The report, which blacklists 77 state and non-state actors across a dozen countries over alleged conflict-related sexual violence, said cases rose sharply in 2025 compared with 2024.UN reports sexual violence against Palestinian detaineesAccording to the report, Israeli forces engaged in documented patterns of sexual violence against Palestinian detainees in the occupied territories of Gaza and the West Bank."Violations consisted of rape, including with objects, gang rape, attempted rape, physical violence to the genitals, instances of targeted shooting of the genitals, touching of breasts and genitals, strip and cavity searches conducted without apparent security justification, forced nudity and threats of rape," the report said.The UN report identified the perpetrators as members of the Israeli military, security forces and prison services.Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon called the report "shameful and absurd.""We are done with this UN Secretary-General," Danon said in a statement on social media. "Guterres has put Israel on the same blacklist along with Hamas, ISIS and the most depraved terrorist organizations in the world."The blacklist also includes Hamas — classified as a terrorist organization by the US, the EU, and Israel, among other countries — which was previously added following the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.The report said many claims against Hamas could not be independently verified because Israel has continued to deny UN investigators the access needed for investigations.The report comes just days after The New York Times published an investigation into widespread alleged sexual abuse against Palestinian detainees.Moscow decries attempt to 'portray Russia as a villain'The UN also cited 310 verified cases of sexual violence by Russian forces against prisoners of military and civilian detainees in Ukraine.Russian envoy Vassily Nebenzia said the "unsubstantiated lies…again portray Russia as a villain, like they do all the time."He said Russia is preparing a report on how Ukrainians treat Russian prisoners of war.Ukraine was not added to the list, though the report documented 31 cases involving Ukrainian security forces, most of which occurred before 2025.Other countries on the list included Sudan, Haiti, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar, Syria and Mali.Disclaimer: If you or someone you know is experiencing or has experienced or witnessed sexual assault, harassment, and/or gender-based violence, please contact the nearest authorities and organizations. If you’re in Indonesia, you can call Pulih Foundation at (021) 78842580, Komnas Perempuan at (021) 80605399, or the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection’s SAPA Service 129 at 08111 129 129. For immediate dangers, call the police at Call Center 110.Read: Prabowo: Indonesia, France Back Palestinian Two-State Solution
