UN Human Rights Council 55: Statement on the Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine
UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue with the Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine. Delivered by the UK's Permanent Representative to the WTO and UN, Simon Manley.
Thank you,聽Mr聽President,
Just last month we marked two years since Russia鈥檚 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Two years of聽atrocities聽committed聽against the Ukrainian people.
颁辞尘尘颈蝉蝉颈辞苍别谤蝉,听
As you have concluded,聽several of these atrocities amount to war crimes and some may amount to crimes against humanity.聽We聽also聽support the investigations of the ICC,聽and note聽its recent indictments, as well as聽Ukraine鈥檚聽national聽investigations.
Russia鈥檚聽indiscriminate attacks on civilian objects聽continued聽unabated.聽That鈥檚 not new, as聽your聽most聽recent report聽highlights聽in the case of聽the聽siege聽of聽Mariupol.聽We welcome your intention to investigate whether the siege may聽itself聽constitute a crime against humanity.
Amid the countless violations which you report, we, like so many others here,聽remain appalled聽by the聽mounting evidence聽of聽the聽systematic and widespread聽use of聽torture, including sexual violence against聽Ukrainian聽civilian detainees聽and prisoners of war,聽and the聽deportation of Ukrainian children聽to the Russian Federation.
Too few children have been returned, and indeed,聽shamefully, many have,聽reportedly been聽forcibly聽adopted. It鈥檚 a despicable attempt to erase聽Ukrainian聽identity. But it won鈥檛 succeed. Putin will lose. Ukraine will prevail. And those responsible for these crimes will be held to account.聽
Commissioners,
How has the current聽liquidity聽crisis affected your mandate?