Amnesty International report is manipulative and plays along with Russia and its propagandists – Ombudsman
ALONA MAZURENKO – THURSDAY, 4 AUGUST 2022, 17:39
Dmytro Lubinets, the human rights ombudsman of the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament), considers the Amnesty International report to be manipulative and believes that it is playing along with Russia and its propagandists.
Source: the ombudsman’s comments on Facebook; Ruslan Stefanchuk, chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine
Quote: "As the human rights ombudsman of the Verkhovna Rada, I believe that the Amnesty International report is manipulative. It supports the actions of the aggressor state and its propagandists rather than understanding the context of what is going on in Ukraine - a country that is defending itself in a war, protecting its citizens and its sovereignty…
By making recommendations of this kind, Amnesty International appears stuck in the Middle Ages, when battles were fought in an open field outside the walls of a fortress.
We are holding our defence against a country that is violating every possible provision of international law. A country that rapes, tortures and kills civilians.
Leaving the population of cities and villages to face the Russian military poses a bigger threat to human rights."
Details: Lubinets added that he was outraged by the claim made by Amnesty International, which is accusing the Armed Forces of Ukraine of using combat tactics that allegedly put Ukrainians’ lives in danger.
Quote: "Civilians are in danger solely due to the unprovoked armed aggression by the Russian Federation. This threat will disappear as soon as Russian forces leave the territory of Ukraine and the Russian military command stops giving criminal orders to fire on Ukrainian cities and villages."
Lubinets stressed that the most massive violations of human rights and war crimes have been committed in places that were or still are under the control of the Russian occupiers: Bucha, Irpin, Motyzhyn, Mariupol, Kherson.
The fact that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are defending Ukrainian cities and villages from the Russian occupation makes it possible to evacuate civilians and help them.
The Ombudsman reminded the public that "urban warfare" is not prohibited by international law, and is not a violation as such.
He also noted that in active combat areas, local authorities have closed educational institutions, and have evacuated and continue to evacuate civilians.
Mandatory evacuation has been announced in Donetsk Oblast.
Background:
- On 4 August, the human rights organisation Amnesty International claimed that the Ukrainian military, which is holding back the Russian invasion, is endangering the civilian population by establishing bases and locating weapons in schools and hospitals.
- At the same time, Amnesty’s website does not say a word about the mass murder of the Ukrainian soldiers held at Olenivka, nor does it condemn the actions of the invaders in killing the captured defenders of Ukraine.
- The President's Office responded that the only threat to Ukrainians’ lives is the Russian army, and that Amnesty International’s claims are nothing less than participation in Russia's discreditation campaign against Ukraine.
- Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that he was outraged by Amnesty International’s claim and considers it unfair.
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