UN human rights chief urges Russia to immediately halt Ukraine military action

By Peter Kenny

GENEVA (AA) – The UN human rights chief on Friday called for Russia to halt its military action in Ukraine out of respect for international humanitarian law and international human rights law as the refugee agency reported hearing of 100,000 internally displaced people.

At a press briefing, Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the high commissioner for human rights, said: "We are receiving increasing reports of civilian casualties.

"Civilians are terrified of further escalation, with many attempting to flee their homes and others taking shelter where possible," said Shamdasani.

She noted that human rights chief Michelle Bachelet had warned that Russian military action "clearly violates" international law, and puts at risk countless lives, "and it must be immediately halted."

"The high commissioner stresses that states that fail to take all reasonable measures to settle their international disputes by peaceful means fall short of complying with their obligation to protect the right to life.

"We urge full respect for international humanitarian law and international human rights law," said Shamdasani.

- Protestors arrested

She said the human rights office is also disturbed by the multiple arbitrary arrests of demonstrators in Russia protesting against the war on Thursday and heard that more than 1,800 protesters were arrested.

"Arresting individuals for exercising their rights to freedom of expression or peaceful assembly constitutes an arbitrary deprivation of liberty. We call on the authorities to ensure the immediate release of all those arbitrarily detained for exercising these rights."

The UN Refugee Agency's Shabia Mantoo said that UNHCR has heard of 100,000 people having to leave their homes since Russia launched its intervention on Thursday.

"Up to 4 million people may flee Ukraine if the situation escalates further," said Mantoo.

At the same UN press conference, Afshan Khan, regional director for Europe and Central Asia of UNICEF, said: "As we speak, there have been major attacks in (Ukraine’s capital) Kyiv that have created great fear and panic among the population, with families really scared, moving alongside their children into subways and shelters. This is clearly a terrifying moment for children across the country.”

She said the military operation in Ukraine had posed an immediate threat to the lives and well-being of 7.5 million children.

UN Human Rights Council spokesman Rolando Gomez said that a record 70 high-level world leaders are expected to speak on the opening day of the council on Monday.

He said Ukraine had requested an urgent debate on human rights stemming from Russia's military intervention but did not have a date for the debate.