USA: Russia will be held accountable for its human rights violations in Ukraine

Geneva, 1 March (EFE). The US delegation to the United Nations Human Rights Council, where a resolution on possible Russian war crimes in Ukraine will be discussed this week, stressed that the United States “will work to ensure that the perpetrators of these abuses meet their responsibilities.”

“We are deeply committed to seeking accountability for human rights violations and against humanitarian law using all possible means, including criminal prosecution where appropriate,” the US Under Secretary of State for Human Rights and Democracy told reporters in Geneva.

Zia stressed that some of the Russian bombing “targeted non-military areas, including schools, orphanages, hospitals and residential areas”, causing the deaths of at least one hundred civilians and wounding more than 300, according to UN figures (the Ukrainian government raises the death toll to more than 350).

The undersecretary of state, who criticized Moscow for “using missiles near the Chernobyl plant, risking a nuclear disaster” said Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine, a sovereign, democratic and peaceful country, is causing a humanitarian and human rights disaster.

The North American representative announced that Russia’s international isolation is also being checked at the Human Rights Council that began this week in Geneva, with Russia only able to get four of its 47 member states – besides itself – to vote against the debate this week. about its aggression against Ukraine.

He noted that these countries are China, Cuba, Venezuela and Eritrea.

Zia stressed that human rights violations in Russia date back long before its invasion of Ukraine: “We know the corruption of past Russian actions, which included arbitrary and extrajudicial killings, kidnappings, enforced disappearances, the use of torture and other grave abuses, as well as in the Donbass.”

The Under Secretary also criticized Belarus, “which not only facilitates this brutal and unjust war, but is ready to join this fight against a peaceful neighbour.” EFE

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