June 15 () –
The UN special rapporteur on torture, Alice Jill Edwards, has expressed her fear on Thursday over the constant reports and testimonies of Ukrainian prisoners who are “systematically” tortured in prisons by Russian military forces, which may constitute a crime against humanity.
“The alleged practices include electric shocks, beatings, hooding, mock executions and other death threats,” he said, adding that, if so, they would constitute “a pattern of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment backed by the Russian state “.
Edwards has detailed in a letter to Moscow that this type of torture is carried out to obtain intelligence information, as well as to force confessions from detainees and those who support the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
In this sense, he explained that the consistency and the methods used, according to the complaints, imply “a level of coordination, planning and organization” by Moscow, as well as direct authorizations for these practices and “tolerance” from higher authorities. about.
“Torture is a war crime, and the systematic or generalized practice of torture constitutes a crime against humanity,” he ruled, adding that “obeying orders cannot be invoked as a justification for torture,” so any person involved in these events must be “quickly investigated and prosecuted by independent authorities”.
As a result of torture, ill-treatment and poor prison conditions, many Ukrainian prisoners have suffered physical and psychological trauma, such as hallucinations, internal organ damage, broken bones, extreme weight loss, impaired senses, as well as loss of motor skills, cerebrovascular accidents or a deterioration of existing chronic diseases.
“This cruelty exacerbates hostility and damages future hopes for peace and reconciliation between neighbors. I strongly urge the relevant authorities to ensure that civilians and prisoners of war are protected and treated humanely at all times,” he concluded.
