Media Home
UN Web TV
UN Audiovisual Library
UN PhotoGENEVA / UKRAINE HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT
Download
There is no media available to download.
Share
STORY: GENEVA / UKRAINE HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT
TRT: 2.48
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 28 JULY 2014, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
1. Wide shot, exterior Palais des Nations - flags
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Gianni Magazzeni, Chief of the Americas, Europe and Central Asia Branch, OHCHR:
“Civilians that are not involved in the fighting may be kept as human shields or held hostage and be caught in the crossfire where the security operation and activities of these armed groups confront each other.”
3. Close up, journalists
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Gianni Magazzeni, Chief of the Americas, Europe and Central Asia Branch, OHCHR:
“There are also indications in our report of large numbers still of individuals abducted – politicians, journalists, students and normal individuals from the East - by the armed groups for a variety of reasons including extortion, or in order to have access to property or compelling them to do things that the armed groups want them to do. Namely, digging trenches or going to the front line or fighting.”
5. Med shot, journalists
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Gianni Magazzeni, Chief of the Americas, Europe and Central Asia Branch, OHCHR:
“We have seen the consolidation of the political leadership, the military leadership of these armed groups and this is a matter of concern if that goes hand in hand with an increase of availability of heavy equipment, when it comes to weaponry. Because we know that the impact of all that would not be too nice vis-a-vis the civilian population, of those individuals that are caught or trapped in those areas.”
7. Med shot, journalists
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Gianni Magazzeni, Chief of the Americas, Europe and Central Asia Branch, OHCHR:
“We would have hoped for greater discussion, greater re-establishment of the rule of law and order in the East as a result of constitutional proposals and other political developments. That doesn’t seem to be taking place. What seems to be taking place is a hardening of the situation including availability of heavy weaponry which then results in more violations, more IDPs leaving the region.”
9. Wide shot, dais
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Gianni Magazzeni, Chief of the Americas, Europe and Central Asia Branch, OHCHR:
“Security is our primary concern vis a vis the well-being of our colleagues, both international and national that are operating especially in the Donetsk and Kharkiv areas. It is a dangerous situation. We may have to relocate them..”
11. Wide shot, Press Briefing room
A total breakdown of law and order and a reign of fear and terror have been inflicted by armed groups on the population of eastern Ukraine, according to a new report on the human rights situation in the country, released today (28 July) by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
The report says that armed groups continue to abduct, detain, torture and execute people kept as hostages.
Gianni Magazzeni, Chief of the Americas, Europe and Central Asia Branch, OHCHR, says that people from many walks of life are randomly targeted, taken hostage and forced to help the rebels.
He said “there are also indications in our report of large numbers still of individuals abducted – politicians, journalists, students and normal individuals from the East - by the armed groups for a variety of reasons including extortion, or in order to have access to property or compelling them to do things that the armed groups want them to do. Namely, digging trenches or going to the front line or fighting.”
The report also says that armed groups have become more organized, both in terms of political and military leadership, and better equipment, having easier access to heavy weaponry. OHCHR says this is putting more and more civilians who are caught up in the fighting at risk.
The deteriorating situation in eastern Ukraine is also having an impact on the rest of the country, with more than 100,000 people who have fled from the areas of fighting having to be temporarily accommodated in other parts of Ukraine.
This latest report covers the period from 8th June to 15th July 2014 and is the fourth produced by the 39-person United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission deployed in Ukraine in mid-March.
Magazzeni says that the safety of members of the monitoring mission is an increasing concern, especially in the Donetsk and Kharkiv areas, and that because of this the team may not have access to certain areas where they would like to be.
He noted that the fact that the crash site of the Malaysia Airlines plane MH17 is still insecure is a sign of how dangerous the situation is.
It’s believed that, as of 26th July, at least 1,129 people have been killed and 3,442 wounded in the conflict in Ukraine. It’s estimated that, as of 25th July, 101,617 people have been internally displaced in the country – an increase of more than 15,000 since 15th July. The vast majority of internally displaced people (IDPs) – 86% - are from the east.
The report says that the human rights situation in Crimea is of great concern, with harassment and discrimination against Ukrainian nationals, Crimean Tatars, religious minorities, minorities in general and activists who opposed the 16th March ‘referendum’ have intensified. There are warnings that there could be a dramatic increase in the number of IDPs from Crimea in the coming months as new restrictions come into effect.
