Russia has created a “suffocating atmosphere of fear” in the occupied territories of Ukraine, – UN report
21 March 2024 05:18
Russia has created an atmosphere of fear in the occupied territories of Ukraine, committing large-scale violations of international humanitarian and human rights law and persecuting anyone it suspects of disloyalty.
This is stated in the report of the UN Human Rights Office, which was published on 20 March, Kommersant ukrainskyi
reports.
The report, based on more than 2,300 interviews with victims and witnesses, describes in detail the measures taken by the Russian Federation to impose the Russian language, citizenship, laws, judicial system and educational programmes in the occupied territories. At the same time, the enemy is suppressing manifestations of Ukrainian identity and destroying Ukrainian governance and administrative systems in these areas.
The actions of the Russian Federation have damaged the social fabric of communities and left people isolated, with profound and lasting consequences for Ukrainian society as a whole,
– said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.
Since the beginning of the full-scale attack, the Russian army has arbitrarily detained civilians, often accompanied by torture and ill-treatment. Russian troops have also used force to suppress peaceful protests, restricted freedom of expression, imposed strict controls on the movement of residents and looted homes and businesses.
In addition, the occupation authorities have cut off the Ukrainian Internet, mobile networks, television and radio broadcasting, redirecting traffic through Russian networks to prevent the population from freely receiving information from independent sources. In addition, people were encouraged to inform on each other, instilling fear even among neighbours and friends.
The report notes that certain actions of the Russian Federation aimed at suppressing the expression of Ukrainian identity have particularly affected children. Many schools have introduced a Russian curriculum and textbooks with narratives that justify an armed attack on Ukraine. Children are involved in propaganda youth groups.
The occupiers forced people in the temporarily occupied territories to obtain Russian passports and prevented them from moving around, finding employment in the public sector, and accessing medical care and social security if they renounced Russian citizenship.
