Ukraine says the “inaction” of the humanitarian organization Red Cross is leading to torture. In response, the Red Cross says that the organization is “waiting for approval and security guarantees to visit prisons in Russia.” According to Ukraine “the humanitarian organization does not fulfill its duty to visit military and civilian prisoners in conflict zones”
Ukraine has accused the Red Cross of “inaction” over Ukrainian prisoners held by Russia, saying the lack of visits to detained soldiers and civilians meant they were vulnerable to torture. “Unfortunately, in every exchange, we see that the inaction of the International Committee of the Red Cross has led to our prisoners of war and civilian abductees being tortured daily by starvation and electrocution,” Ukrainian Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubintz said in a statement.
According to him, the humanitarian organization is not fulfilling its duty to visit military and civilian prisoners in conflict zones, the French news agency AFP reported. According to the report, dozens of Ukrainian prisoners of war died last July in a prison in Olynivka in eastern Ukraine controlled by Russia. A Russian missile became the focus of the Ukrainian prisoners. According to the reports, many prisoners are suffering from infectious diseases.
Ukraine has repeatedly requested that the Red Cross team visit there. Andriy Yermak, the chief of staff of the President of Ukraine, said: “Ukraine expects and demands from the Red Cross the appropriate determination to gain access to Ukrainian prisoners in Olnivka, we do not see that the organization is working to protect our prisoners,” Yermak said.
Last week, Red Cross spokesman Ewan Watson said the Red Cross wanted to visit Olnivka, but had to wait until it was given permission and security guarantees to make sure its teams were not in danger. “We understand the frustration regarding our lack of access to all prisoners of war held in the international armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine,” Watson said. “We have been able to visit hundreds of prisoners from both sides, but there are thousands more that we have not been able to see, and we are concerned about their fate,” he said.