Additional evidence of illegal transfer of children from Ukraine and new cases of sexual violence by Russian Federation revealed - UN report
Investigations into violations in Ukraine have uncovered additional evidence of Russia’s illegal transfer of children from Ukraine, as well as documented new cases of rape and other sexual violence against women and girls.
According to Censor.NET, citing Interfax-Ukraine, this is stated in a new report by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Violations in Ukraine, released on Friday.
It is noted that the commission continued to investigate allegations of the transfer and deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia or to the Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine.
In particular, the commission is focusing on the investigation into the transfer of 46 children from the Kherson Regional Children's Home to Crimea on the order of the Russian authorities on October 21, 2022. The institution took in children from birth to the age of five. The commission, having studied the sources of information, concluded that the transfer of a group of children from the Kherson Regional Children's Home to Crimea was not temporary and, therefore, constitutes a war crime in the form of illegal transfer.
The report documented cases of rape and other sexual violence against women and girls in circumstances that also amounted to torture. The Commission recalled that it had previously documented cases of sexual and gender-based violence by the Russian authorities in nine regions of Ukraine and in the Russian Federation.
During the current mandate, the Commission investigated additional cases of the above-mentioned acts of violence in Kherson, Kyiv, Mykolaiv and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine. The victims were girls and women aged 15 to 83. Consistent with previously identified patterns, Russian authorities raped the victims and committed other forms of sexual violence against them during home searches and in custody.
In particular, in two cases, the circumstances suggest that the women were sexually abused as punishment for supporting the Ukrainian authorities.
In addition, the Commission recalled that it had previously expressed concern about allegations of genocide in Ukraine, noting that its investigations into the matter were ongoing.
"The Commission has examined allegations that raise issues under the Genocide Convention, namely whether the rhetoric broadcast in Russian state and other media constitutes direct and public incitement to genocide. The Commission has reviewed many public statements using offensive rhetoric and calls for hatred, violence and destruction. It is concerned about statements by individuals who support a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine and call for the killing of large numbers of people," the report says.
In particular, the Commission recommends further investigation into this important issue and emphasizes the responsibility of states to prevent such statements.
The Commission will present its report to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday, March 18.
