The UN approves the creation of an international commission to investigate human rights violations in Ukraine

Archive – Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland – XINHUA / ZUMA PRESS / CONTACTOPHOTO – File

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Zelensky applauds the decision and stresses that “Russian war criminals will be held accountable”

MADRID, 4 (EUROPE PRESS)

The United Nations Human Rights Council announced this Friday its decision to create an independent international commission to investigate human rights violations in the framework of Russia’s military offensive in Ukraine.

“The UN Human Rights Council has urgently decided to establish an independent international commission of inquiry as a result of Russian aggression against Ukraine,” he said on his Twitter account. The vote has resulted in 32 votes in favor, two against and thirteen abstentions.

Thus, Russia and Eritrea have voted against, while Armenia, Bolivia, Cameroon, China, Gabon, India, Kazakhstan, Namibia, Pakistan, Sudan, Uzbekistan and Venezuela have abstained.

Ukraine, Germany, Argentina, Benin, Brazil, South Korea, Ivory Coast, United Arab Emirates (UAE), United States, Finland, France, Gambia, Honduras, Indonesia, Marshall Islands, Japan, Libya, Lithuania voted in favour. , Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritania, Mexico, Montenegro, Nepal, the Netherlands, Paraguay, Poland, Qatar, the United Kingdom, Senegal and Somalia.

In response, Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky has applauded the body’s decision to create a commission “to investigate facts about Russian war crimes against Ukraine.”

“The evidence will be documented and used in international courts. Russian war criminals will be held accountable,” the president said in a message posted on his official Twitter account.

The body approved on February 28 to hold an “urgent debate” on the Russian invasion of Ukraine at the request of Kiev, a vote that resulted in 29 votes in favor, five against and thirteen abstentions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a military offensive against Ukraine in a televised speech on February 24, days after recognizing the independence of the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Lugansk.