Interactive Dialogue on the High Commissioner’s Oral Update on Ukraine
Statement by the Delegation of the United States of America
As Delivered by Ambassador Michèle Taylor
Human Rights Council – 51st Session
Thank you, Mr. President. And thank you to the High Commissioner’s office for today’s update.
Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has caused needless death, abuse, and suffering, including thousands of civilian deaths and millions fleeing their homes. The generational toll on Ukraine’s people cannot be overstated. As painful as it is, we cannot turn our collective attention away from what we are seeing.
Every day, we see new, credible reports of Russia’s detentions and forced deportations through its filtration operations. We strongly condemn these operations, and we reiterate that the unlawful transfer and deportation of protected persons is a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention and a war crime.
We deplore the reported deliberate separation of Ukrainian children from their parents and reported abductions of children from orphanages to offer them for adoption inside Russia.
We are appalled by reports of Russia’s mistreatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war.
We reject Russia’s purported annexations of Ukraine’s sovereign territory, and we urge Member States to call on Russia to halt its human rights violations and abuses.
OHCHR: can your office increase attention on growing credible evidence of filtration operations and forced deportations, and are you speaking directly to survivors of filtration?
I thank you.
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