The Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights strongly disapproves of opening a Red Cross office in Rostov-na-Donu. According to Ukrainian Parliament members, this will increase the threat of abduction of Ukrainian citizens and their deportation to the territory of the aggressor-state.
This was reported by the press service of the Parliament of Ukraine.
The Committee strongly disapproved of the opening of the International Committee of the Red Cross office in Rostov-na-Donu. This will help legitimize the "humanitarian corridors" in the russian federation and serve as support for the abduction of Ukrainian citizens and their deportation to the territory of the aggressor state, "- says the statement.
According to the information available to the Committee, the russian occupiers have already deported several thousand residents of Mariupol to russia. The captured Mariupol residents were taken to filtration camps, where the occupiers checked people's phones and documents. After the inspection, some Mariupol residents were redirected to remote cities in russia; the fate of others remains unknown.
This situation violates Article 49 of the Geneva Convention of 12 August 1949 for the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War and is another war crime committed by russia.
"In these circumstances, the ICRC should protect and assist the affected citizens of Ukraine, not side with the aggressor state and contribute to the continuation of this crime. Therefore, we consider the intentions of the International Committee of the Red Cross to open a Red Cross office in Rostov-na-Donu unacceptable," - emphasized the members of the Parliament of Ukraine.
The Committee addressed the leadership of the international organization to change its decision and not support the deportation of Ukrainian citizens to the territory of the occupying state.
International Committee of the Red Cross appealed to the russian authorities to allow them to open a representative office in the russian city of Rostov-na-Donu, located on the border with Ukraine, for allegedly "more efficient work" in eastern Ukraine.