The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said on Friday that it remained “gravely concerned about the growing death toll and human suffering in Ukraine” and called for “an immediate end to the attacks.”
“Civilians are being killed and maimed in what appears to be indiscriminate attacks, with Russian forces using wide-range explosives in or near populated areas. These include rockets, heavy artillery shells and rockets, as well as airstrikes,” spokeswoman Liz Throssell said. says in the statement.
OHCHR said that 549 civilian deaths and 957 injured civilians had been recorded since the start of the invasion, “although the actual figure could be much higher.”
Schools, hospitals and kindergartens have been affected – with very devastating consequences,” Throssell said.
She added that on March 3, 47 civilians were killed in Russian airstrikes on two schools and several residential buildings in Chernihiv, and on March 9, a Russian airstrike on a hospital in Mariupol injured at least 17 civilians.
“We are still investigating reports that at least three civilians may have been killed in the airstrike.”
Sources in Mariupol, Trossell added, said the hospital “was clearly identifiable and operational when it was hit.”
OHCHR also received “credible reports of several cases of cluster munitions being used by Russian forces, including in populated areas,” Throssell said.
On 24 February, a single cluster munition was reported to have been used at the central city hospital in Vuhledar in Donetsk, killing four civilians and injuring t10s. She said at least nine other civilians were killed and 37 injured in “other cluster munition attacks” in several districts of Kharkiv.
“Because of their wide scope, the use of cluster munitions in populated areas is inconsistent with the principles of international humanitarian law governing the conduct of hostilities,” Throssell said.
“Civilian casualties are increasing daily, as is general human suffering. We remind the Russian authorities that strikes against civilians and civilian objects, as well as the so-called area shelling of cities and villages and other forms of indiscriminate attacks, are prohibited by international law and can be equated with war crimes,” she added.
She added that OHCHR was also concerned about reports of “arbitrary arrests and detentions” of Ukrainians who expressed opposition to the Russian attack, including during peaceful protests.
“We believe the detainees are at risk of torture or other ill-treatment and call for their immediate and unconditional release.”
OHCHR is also concerned about “the derogatory use of labels such as ‘saboteurs’ and ‘mercenaries’ with the intent or effect of placing certain individuals at a higher risk of harm,” she said.
“We call on the parties to fully respect the rights of everyone under their control,” Throssell said. “Those who have laid down their arms … including prisoners of war must be treated humanely and protected from any form of torture or degrading treatment.”