PACE adopts first resolution on missing persons, prisoners of war and civilians held captive by RF
On Wednesday, October 2, at the autumn session of the PACE in Strasbourg, a resolution was adopted in which the Council of Europe for the first time raises the issue of the release and further rehabilitation of Ukrainian prisoners, and also demands that Russia comply with the provisions of international humanitarian law.
This was reported by Ukrinform, Censor.NET informs.
The title of the resolution reads as follows: "Missing persons, prisoners of war and civilians held captive as a result of the aggressive war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine".
The document was unanimously supported by all 74 MPs present in the hall. The resolution was submitted under the urgent procedure.
It is noted that the Assembly calls on the Council of Europe to ensure that this topic is prioritized in the international political agenda of all member states, to put pressure on the Russian Federation to treat prisoners properly, in accordance with international humanitarian law, and to make efforts to ensure their speedy release, social and medical rehabilitation and prosecution of the Russian Federation.
"The Assembly encourages the establishment of a more permanent mechanism for the exchange or release of Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians held in the Russian Federation or in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, with the active participation of the International Committee of the Red Cross and other relevant stakeholders," the resolution reads.
PACE also supports the idea of an exchange based on the "all for all" formula.
The adopted resolution also states that "torture used by the Russian authorities in the Russian Federation and in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine is widespread and systematic."
The Assembly calls on Interpol, other international organizations and all states to facilitate the search and prosecution of war criminals.
The document also reminds the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe that "partner states, including Council of Europe member states, may introduce international targeted sanctions packages against Russian officials responsible for the unlawful deprivation of liberty of Ukrainian civilians."
The PACE believes that "the Council of Europe and its member states could play an important role in providing expert and financial support for the rehabilitation of released prisoners by creating a special program that could be financed from the frozen assets of the Russian Federation."
The resolution also cites the latest data, according to which, as of September 2024, a total of 65,956 military personnel and civilians were registered as missing or captured by Russia. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, only 3,672 people have been returned from Russian captivity. Among them, one third were considered missing in Ukraine because Russia, contrary to its international obligations, did not provide information about them.
