OHCHR was the first international organization that recognized captured Ukrainian sailors as prisoners of war.
Ukrainian sailors who were captured by the Russian military in the Kerch Strait area after shelling Ukrainian ships should be considered prisoners of war. This is stated in the report of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, reports “European Truth”.
“OHCHR notes that, guided by the norms of international humanitarian law (Art. 4 (A) (1) and 4 (A) (4) of the Third Geneva Convention and Art. 43 and 44 of Additional Protocol I), 24 detained crew members can be considered prisoners of war and protected by the Third Geneva Convention. In any case, they must enjoy the status of a prisoner of war until the competent court decides otherwise. OHCHR recalls that prisoners of war, in particular, must be treated humanely, protected from acts of violence or intimidation and provide them with the necessary medical care,” the document says.
The document was published this week and outlines the human rights situation in Ukraine from November 16, 2018, to February 15, 2019.