PRESS RELEASE : Russia’s mistreatment of civilian detainees and prisoners of war must end: UK statement to the OSCE [February 2024]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 29 February 2024.

Ambassador Holland calls on Russia to release all individuals arbitrarily detained in Crimea, the temporarily controlled territories, and those transferred to Russia. He notes that Russia’s actions may be in breach of the Geneva Conventions, constituting war crimes.

Thank you, Madam Chair. And thank you and the Minister for chairing last week’s Reinforced Permanent Council which was an important demonstration of overwhelming support for Ukraine.

10 years ago on 20 February 2014, Russia began its illegal annexation of Crimea, paving the way to its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Monday marked the Day of Resistance to Occupation of Crimea and Sevastopol – the democratic spirit of this day still rings true in Ukraine. The UK will never recognise Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea, or of any Ukrainian territory.

Since 2014, Crimea has been used to further Russia’s war effort, including as a destination for illegally detained Ukrainian civilians. Many of them have been transferred to detention centres on the peninsula, and sometimes to the Russian Federation. Crimean Tatars continue to endure a ruthless campaign of persecution simply for existing in their homeland. Many who are legitimately politically active have been arrested and labelled as ‘extremists’.

As well as in Crimea, the number of Ukrainian civilian detainees and prisoners of war being held in the temporarily controlled territories and in the Russian Federation continues to rise. Their families do not know where they are or when they will return. There is no way to monitor the presence of these civilians and no mechanism to facilitate their release.

There are also widespread reports of human rights abuses and violations committed against prisoners of war and civilian detainees by Russian authorities – including torture, sexual violence and summary executions. Even within the last week Ukrainian authorities have reported several cases of their soldiers being executed by Russian forces in Avdiivka and Bakhmut.

Yesterday at an event hosted by the Ukrainian delegation, we heard from a Ukrainian prisoner of war, who was held at Volnovakha Colony No.120, in the temporarily controlled territory of the Donetsk oblast. They detailed horrendous conditions, including lack of access to medical treatment, food, and water, as well as being subjected to hours of torture.

Russia must also release all individuals arbitrarily detained in Crimea, the temporarily controlled territories, as well as those who have been transferred to Russia. Russia’s actions may be in clear and serious breach of the Geneva Conventions, constituting war crimes. We also call on Russia to uphold international humanitarian law and ensure the dignified and humane treatment of those detained. Russia must allow access for international humanitarian and human rights organisations. Only through this access can those responsible for Russia’s systematic campaign of human rights violations be held to account.

Madam Chair. We remain extremely concerned for the welfare of our three OSCE colleagues of the Special Monitoring Mission (SMM). They have been wrongly held by the Russian authorities for over 700 days. There is absolutely no justification for their detention. They and their SMM colleagues were simply performing their official duties, duties mandated by all participating States of the OSCE. They must be released and allowed to go home. Thank you.