UN experts criticized human rights violations in Ukraine

The UN published a report that criticizes the actions of both Russian authorities in the territories under their control and Ukrainian authorities in the reclaimed regions.

Russia imposes Russian passports and the Russian language on Ukrainians in the captured regions, “suppressing manifestations of Ukrainian culture,” according to the report description. Meanwhile, Ukraine is reproached in the UN for too broad an interpretation of the term “collaborationism.” Due to vague wordings in Ukrainian legislation, “people are persecuted on charges of collaboration with the occupying authorities for actions that were legally committed by them in accordance with international humanitarian law.”

For example, those who worked to provide basic services to the population fell under investigation. Those who collaborated with the occupying authorities under duress were also persecuted. Such persecution tragically led to some people becoming victims twice – first during the Russian occupation, and then again when they are persecuted for collaborationism. This risk of potential judicial prosecution has sown fear among those who lived or still live under occupation, exacerbating dissent, the report states. More than a quarter of the criminal investigations studied by the experts were accompanied by arbitrary arrests, torture and cruel treatment of suspects, according to the UN mission’s report.