UN rights office concerned by intensified fighting in Ukraine News
UN rights office concerned by intensified fighting in Ukraine

[JURIST] Spokesperson for the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) [official website], Ravina Shamdasani, expressed concern [press release] Friday at the “dire human rights situation” in Ukraine after reports of intensified fighting in violation of the Minsk Agreement [BBC backgrounder], a ceasefire deal proposed for peace negotiations. Shamdasani indicated that after breaches of this agreement, violations of human rights will become more prevalent. Since breach of the agreement, a large number of civilians have reportedly been killed. The OHCHR recognizes civilian lives as of the utmost importance, so those who have caused recent deaths and deaths and injuries to civilians, in violation of human rights and international law, must be held accountable. The OHCHR called on parties to the agreement to comply with these laws and abide by the terms of the Minsk Agreement.

The crisis between Russia and eastern Ukraine has intensified over the past few months with little sign of a true resolution in sight. Earlier this month Amnesty International (AI) announced that it has evidence showing that Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine killed several captured government soldiers [JURIST report], a violation of international humanitarian law. Also this month Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko announced [JURIST report] that his government would no longer object to allowing a referendum that could grant greater autonomy to the eastern regions of the country controlled by Russian-backed rebels. In March Human Rights Watch said that the Ukrainian government forces and Russia-backed rebel forces consistently used cluster munitions [JURIST report] in eastern Ukraine in early 2015, killing close to 13 civilians. Last October AI documented extra-judicial killings [JURIST report] by both pro-Russian separatists and pro-Keiv forces in eastern Ukraine, though the advocacy group cautioned that the actual number of deaths might not be an accurate figure as reported by the Russian media.

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