Ukraine’s Presidential Office: Red Cross silently tolerates Russia’s abuses

YEVHEN KIZILOV – TUESDAY, 18 OCTOBER 2022, 18:02

Andrii Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, has reproached the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for ignoring Ukraine’s request to visit Ukrainian prisoners of war held in the Russian prison camp in Olenivka.

Source: Andrii Yermak on Telegram

Quote from Yermak: "The war has put not only ordinary citizens, but also international organisations, to the test. Unfortunately, the Red Cross tolerates Russia’s violations of international law, and does so silently."

Details: On 17 October, representatives of the ICRC failed to arrive at the location in Zaporizhzhia Oblast (on the border between Ukrainian-controlled and Russian-occupied territory) where the Ukrainian delegation was waiting for them. The ICRC representatives were expected to secure access to Olenivka from Russia and visit Ukrainian prisoners held there.

Yermak said that Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s Human Rights Commissioner, Daria Zarivna, Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President, and Maria Mezentseva, Yehor Cherniev, Denys Maslov and Olena Khomenko, all members of Ukraine’s parliament, arrived at the demarcation line on Monday. However, the ICRC representatives have failed to join them, Yermak said.

Quote from Yermak: "Ukraine expects and demands that the International Committee of the Red Cross acts decisively to obtain access to Ukrainian prisoners in Olenivka. After all, the organisation was created to carry out missions like this one.

The cynical and destructive position adopted by the russian federation [sic] is the main obstacle preventing the arrival of the ICRC mission to Olenivka, where Ukrainians are being forcibly held. Unfortunately, neither have we seen evidence that the ICRC is working to protect our prisoners. Ukrainian society cannot see it. The [Ukrainian prisoners’] relatives cannot see it.

The Ukrainian side has every reason to expect decisive, proactive measures on behalf of the ICRC in terms of fulfilling its mandate to protect human rights, as well as a clear, public position and communications regarding all of the measures it is taking to respond to the most pressing humanitarian challenge in Europe."

More details: Yermak called on other international organisations and humanitarian actors whose human rights mandate "should prevent them from standing by and watching passively as russia [sic] continues to commit the most atrocious crimes of our time" to take decisive measures.

Background:

• Andrii Yermak made an "absolute demand" to the International Committee of the Red Cross to send a mission within three days to the prison camp in Olenivka, on the Russian-occupied territory of Donetsk Oblast, where Ukrainian prisoners of war are held.
• President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier said that he believes that the ICRC has responsibilities – first and foremost, moral responsibilities – and that its duty is to visit the prison camp in Olenivka.
• The ICRC said on 16 October that a team of 11 staff, including one doctor, was ready in Donetsk to visit any prisoners of war held in the area, including at the Olenivka penal facility. However, the ICRC said that it did not have "the minimal security guarantees on the ground and the local authorisation to conduct a visit".

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