Commissioner of Human Rights: The War in Ukraine, which “entered a more dangerous and deadly stage” must end

In the oral update presented today, Friday, to the Human Rights Council, which holds its sixtieth session in Geneva, Turk reminded that this year witnessed intense attacks along the confrontation lines, and large air strikes, most of them in populated areas.

He stated that the harm to Ukrainian civilians increased sharply, as the total losses increased in the first eight months of the year by 40% compared to 2024, adding that the Human Rights Office has documented since the beginning of the comprehensive Russian invasion, killing and wounding more than 50 thousand Ukrainian civilians, including more than three thousand children.

He said that Russia had reported losses on civilians at much lower levels, as a result of attacks that the Ukrainian forces believed were launched, but the office was unable to verify these numbers.

Executions and death during detention

The UN official stated that the report issued by his office last week on the situation there is revealing “Violations of international law committed against civilian detainees”.

He added that in many cases, people living in lands arbitrarily from the street were arrested and detained for weeks, months, or even years, and in a large number of cases, these arrests may be promoted to forced disappearances.

He went on, saying: “My office recorded 90 executions outside the judiciary for Ukrainian civilians detained by the Russian authorities. We also documented 38 deaths during detention, as a result of torture, lack of medical care, or poor conditions.”.

He also pointed to the registration of cases in which the Ukrainian authorities tortured and offended the treatment of detainees associated with the conflict, adding that the Ukrainian authorities have taken steps to enhance the guarantees and improve the conditions of detention, but accountability is limited.

The High Commissioner for Human Rights also warned that the Russian authorities continue to commit widespread violations and a methodology for human rights against Ukrainian civilians in the lands occupied in the south and east of the country.

He pointed out that the residents were subjected to increasing pressure to obtain Russian citizenship, and the Russian occupation authorities imposed their own academic curricula on schools.

And Turk said: “These practices reflect a deliberate effort to suppress the Ukrainian opposition and identity.”.

Surprising losses

The UN official called on Russia to stop all executions outside the judiciary, torture, abuse, sexual violence against civilian detainees and prisoners of war, and end all practices of arbitrary and illegal detention.

Russia also urged respect for international law in the lands under its control, ensuring effective control over all detention centers, and granting independent observers full access to places where Ukrainian civilian detainees are held.

Ukraine called for respecting its obligations under international law in its treatment of detainees, by protecting them from torture, abuse and sexual violence.

And Turk said: “This war must end. Human losses among civilians, soldiers and their families are shocking and breaking the heart.”

He warned that the recent reports reported the vision of Russian military march aircraft in countries adjacent to Ukraine Remember the dangers that this war poses in the region and abroad. “.