Over 16,000 civilians captured by Russia during its conflict in Ukraine are still "deprived of their liberty," with many being held incommunicado and for reasons that violate international law, an informal UN security council meeting has been told.
According to Claudia Fuentes Julio, the UN assistant secretary-general for human rights. “Widespread and systematic torture and ill-treatment” of both Ukrainian civilian detainees and prisoners of war by Russia are continuing, including sexual violence.
Julio gave the estimates at the informal meeting of the Security Council called by Latvia and the United Kingdom on Monday to spotlight the plight of civilians and soldiers taken during the war that Russia launched with a full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022.
The council, which counts Russia as a permanent member, heard the accounts as both Russia and Ukraine have escalated attacks in the four-year conflict.
According to Julio, since the invasion, 910 Ukrainian prisoners of war and 403 civilian detainees have been interviewed by UN human rights personnel following their release.
