Red Cross did not arrive at demarcation line, where Ukrainian delegation was waiting for it

UKRAINSKA PRAVDA – MONDAY, 17 OCTOBER 2022, 18:39

Representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) did not arrive at the border with the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine, where the Ukrainian delegation was waiting for them.

Source: The Human Rights Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) of Ukraine, Dmytro Lubinets, on Telegram

Quote: "We planned this visit together with the International Committee of the Red Cross, in order to encourage it to obtain access from Russia to the Olenivka POW camp and visit Ukrainian prisoners of war.

It appeared to be more difficult for the ICRC than repeating its "appeals to both sides" on its website. Despite our call and readiness to ensure such a trip, we did not see the ICRC."

Details: In Lubinets’ opinion, the organisation is not fulfilling its mandate, namely, to visit prisoners of war in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and in Russia, justifying its failure to do so by the lack of permits from the Russian Federation.

At the same time, the ICRC has not answered what exactly it is doing to change the situation and gain access to the prisoners.

Quote: "Because of the inactivity of the ICRC, prisoners of war are being tortured every day. Yes, I am not mistaken, every day. The Russians know that the Red Cross will not come and will not demand access to the prisoners.

If the organisation fails to fulfil its goals and plays along with the aggressor by its silence, it should be dissolved."

Background:

• On 13 October, the head of the President's Office, Andrii Yermak, made an "absolute demand" to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to send a mission within three days to the prison camp in occupied Olenivka, where Ukrainian prisoners are being held.
• Prior to that, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy insisted that the International Committee of the Red Cross has obligations, primarily moral, and must visit Olenivka, where Ukrainian prisoners are being held.
• A team of 11 staff of the International Committee of the Red Cross said it was ready to visit prisoners in Olenivka camp, but that they lacked minimum security guarantees on the ground and "the local authorisation" to conduct a visit.

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