Human Rights Council Adopts Resolution on the Deteriorating Human Rights Situation in Ukraine and Closes Special Session

The Human Rights Council this afternoon closed its thirty-fourth special session after adopting a resolution on the deteriorating human rights situation in Ukraine stemming from the Russian aggression, in which the Council reiterated its demand for an immediate cessation of military hostilities against Ukraine and requested the Independent International Commission of Inquiry to conduct an inquiry, consistent with its mandate and international standards, and in coordination with other national and international mechanisms, to address the events in the areas of Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Sumy regions in late February and March 2022, including their gender dimension, with a view to hold to account those responsible.

In the resolution, that was adopted by a vote of 33 in favour, two against and 12 abstentions, the Council also urged the Russian Federation to provide representatives and staff of international human rights and humanitarian institutions, including United Nations specialised agencies, with unhindered, timely, immediate, unrestricted and safe access to persons who had been transferred from conflict-affected areas of Ukraine and were held on the territory of the Russian Federation or areas controlled or occupied by the Russian Federation, and to share with relevant parties a comprehensive list of such transferred persons and their whereabouts.

In the discussion prior to the adoption of the resolution, speakers raised, among other things, the importance of ensuring accountability for all violations and abuses perpetrated in Ukraine. Justice must be served for these and all other crimes through the relevant international instruments. Russia should immediately cease its aggression, withdraw all its forces from the whole territory of Ukraine, and provide international human rights and humanitarian institutions with unhindered, immediate and safe access to persons transferred from conflict-affected areas of Ukraine and held on the territory of Russia or areas controlled or occupied by the Russian Federation.

Speaking in the discussion were the representatives of Georgia, Israel, Estonia, Slovakia, Belgium and Iran.

Also speaking were the Ukrainian Parliament Commission for Human Rights, as well as the following non-governmental organizations: World Organization against Torture, Article 19 - International Centre Against Censorship, International Commission of Jurists, Human Rights House Foundation, Amnesty International, International Federation for Human Rights Leagues, Ingenieurs du Monde, Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada, United Nations Watch, Maat for Peace, Development and Human Rights Association, Human Rights Watch, International Service for Human Rights, World Federation of Ukrainian Women’s Organizations, International Program for Human Rights Law, Civicus - World Alliance for Citizen Participation, International-Lawyers.org, and Child Rights Connect.