UN reports over 2100 civilian casualties in Ukraine News
VectorGallery / Pixabay
UN reports over 2100 civilian casualties in Ukraine

The office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) posted an update Friday noting over 2100 civilian casualties in Ukraine.

Since the start of hostilities on February 24, OHCHR has verified 816 civilians were killed and 1333 injured. The death toll includes 59 children, while 74 children were injured in the fighting. 903 of the casualties occurred in Donetsk and Luhansk, two regions in southeastern Ukraine controlled by separatists and recognized as independent by Russia. Most of the casualties were caused by wide-impact explosive weapons, including heavy artillery, multiple-launch rocket systems and missile and airstrikes.

However, OHCHR believes the civilian casualty count is “considerably higher,” since in recent days information has been delayed from areas facing intense hostilities. Reports from such areas are pending corroboration. In particular, OHCHR notes allegations of numerous civilian casualties in Mariupol and Volnovakha (Donetsk region), Izium (Kharkiv region), Sievierodonetsk and Rubizhne (Luhansk region) and Trostianets (Sumy region).

OHCHR specifically highlighted a report from the Prosecutor General’s office of Ukraine stating that, as of March 18, 109 children had been killed and over 130 injured. Another report from the Investigative Department of the National Police of Kharkiv Region said, as of March 17, 250 civilians had been killed there, with 13 of the deaths being children.

The Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) has been documenting civilian casualties in the country since 2014 but has been unable to visit all locations where there have been incidents of casualties and has had to rely on contact persons and partners in areas where casualties have occurred.

THIS DAY @ LAW

US Supreme Court ruled Indians not US citizens

On November 3, 1884, the US Supreme Court ruled in Elk v. Wilkins that John Elk, an American Indian who had tried to vote in a federal election in Omaha, Nebraska, was not a US citizen entitled to the protection of the 14th and 15th Amendments of the US Constitution. Native Americans became eligible for citizenship in 1887 under the Dawes Act, but only in 1924, under the Indian Citizenship Act, were all Native Americans born in the US made citizens.

Last public execution at Tyburn Gallows in London

On November 3, 1783, the last public execution took place at Tyburn Gallows in London, when John Austin was hanged for highway robbery. From the hanging of William Fitz Osburn in 1196 until Austin's execution, Tyburn served as London's primary location for public executions.

Learn more about the trial of John Austin.