15/03/2022 18:20

The Commissioner asks the international community to take into account the mass hostage-taking of peaceful Ukrainians when determining the limits of sanctions pressure on Russia

Rashist militants took hostage doctors and patients of the Regional Hospital for Intensive Care in Mariupol. Relevant information was provided by one of the hospital staff.

It is impossible to get out of it due to constant shelling. Staff and patients are in the basement.  Cars have not been able to drive to the hospital for two days. High-rise buildings are burning around.  The russians rushed 400 people from neighboring houses to the hospital.

Due to the bombing of the hospital by the Russian occupiers a few days ago, it was practically destroyed.  In the main case felt overlapping plates.  But staff and patients continued to be in the adapted basement.

The taking of civilian hostages is a gross violation of Articles 3 and 34 of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

I appeal to the international community to take into account the terrorist activities of the aggressor state's troops and the mass hostage-taking of peaceful Ukrainians in determining the limits of sanctions pressure on Russia.