[JURIST] The human rights situation in Ukraine remains troublesome following two years of conflict with Russia, according to a report [report, PDF] released Friday by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights [official website]. Among the various human rights violations that have occurred, those closest to the contact line or living in areas controlled by armed forces have been subjected to “[e]nforced disappearances, arbitrary detention, torture and ill-treatment,” all of which “remain deeply entrenched practices.” The report goes on to state [press release] that those most likely to commit these violations, law enforcement officers and armed security, have been granted immunity from prosecution, which is justified as an unfortunate, but necessary part of the current armed conflict. This impunity is only further exacerbated by the inability of the judicial system to address high-level officials ordering and overseeing this violence as a result of the “interference in the independence of the judiciary.” UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ivan Simonovic stated “[o]nly the full implementation of the Minsk agreement [materials] will allow for the respect of everyone’s human rights, and a chance to lead a normal life and even a decent living.”

Russia and Ukraine have been in conflict since the annexation of Crimea [JURIST backgrounder] in March 2014. In February Russia filed suit [JURIST report] against Ukraine over Ukraine’s default on $3 billion in bonds. A Ukrainian official said in January that the nation plans to sue Russia [JURIST report] in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) [official website] on claims of financing terrorism. In August a Russian military court sentenced [JURIST report] two Ukrainian activists to substantial jail time for the charge of conspiring to commit terror attacks. In March of last year the EU committed to stand by its policy of refusing to recognize Crimea’s annexation [JURIST report]. In February 2015 Russian liberal political activist Boris Nemtsov was shot in the back four times [BBC report] in the middle of busy downtown Moscow. Nemtsov was openly politically opposed to Russia’s annexation of Crimea and its role in Ukraine.