Dear Ombudsman Tatyana Moskalkova,
I call for immediate and sustained action in response to the grave violations of international humanitarian law currently occurring in the treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) in Russian custody. The Russian Federation must uphold its obligations under the Third Geneva Convention, ensuring humane treatment of POWs and immediate cessation of torture and ill-treatment.
I am deeply disturbed by the findings of human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, and reports from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), which document widespread violations of Ukrainian POWs’ rights in Russian custody. These violations include:
Torture, ill-treatment, including severe beatings and electric shocks, and sexual violence
Inhumane conditions and denial of basic rights, such as correspondence with family and access to medical care
Incommunicado detention
Enforced disappearence
These actions flagrantly violate international law, which mandates the humane treatment of all prisoners of war under the Third Geneva Convention, to which Russia is a state party.
In contrast, while there have been reports of ill-treatment of Russian POWs at the initial stages of captivity, facilities for Russian prisoners in Ukraine largely comply with international standards. This includes:
Unrestricted access for international monitoring bodies
Adequate medical care and the right to correspond with family members
Regular visits by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
I respectfully urge you to demand the Russian Federation take immediate action to:
End all violations of the rights of Ukrainian POWs, including torture, ill-treatment, and sexual violence, and ensure their humane treatment in full compliance with international law.
Fully comply with the Third Geneva Convention, ensuring Ukrainian POWs are allowed to correspond with their families and receive visits from international humanitarian organizations
Facilitate the repatriation of severely ill or wounded POWs, including through the establishment of mixed medical commissions to ensure their safe return in accordance with international humanitarian standards.
I ask you to call on Russian authorities to take immediate, concrete steps to uphold human rights, address the ongoing violations, and ensure all parties involved in this conflict respect the obligations outlined in the Geneva Conventions.