More than 8,400 civilian deaths have been confirmed since the beginning of the Russia’s war on Ukraine started in February last year, while over 14,000 civilians wounded, UN’s human rights chief Volker Turk told the Human Rights Council, sharing data verified by his office.
“Severe violations” of human rights and international humanitarian law have become “shockingly routine” in the war, the UN’s human rights chief said on Friday.
“These figures are just the tip of the iceberg,” Turk warned.
621 instances of arbitrary detention and forced disappearances had been recorded throughout the war.
On the torture and ill-treatment of detainees, Turk said Russian personnel were responsible for 91% of such incidents, according to interviews with 89 civilians.
“Five of the victims of enforced disappearance were boys, one only 14 years old. All five of these children were tortured or ill-treated,” he said.
Of the 109 cases of sexual assault by Russian Army that were documented, “most took place in places of detention,” Turk noted and underlined that three of them were perpetrated against girls under the age of 18.
On the Ukrainian side, Turk also said his staff documented 91 cases of enforced disappearances and arbitrary detention by Ukrainian security forces.
Of the 73 victims interviewed, 53% were tortured or ill-treated, while 24 cases of sexual violence were by Ukrainian personnel. “Most of these consisted of threats of sexual violence during initial stages of detention,” he said.
