- Title: Cages built in Mariupol concert hall for trials of Ukrainian POWs - reports
- Date: 24th August 2022
- Summary: MARIUPOL, UKRAINE (FILE - MAY 11, 2022) (REUTERS) EXPLOSION AND SMOKE RISING ABOVE MARIUPOL'S AZOVSTAL STEEL PLANT/DAMAGED PLANT DAMAGED BUILDINGS OF AZOVSTAL PLANT WITH SMOKE COMING OUT
- Embargoed: 7th September 2022 13:39
- Keywords: Azov Russia Ukraine fighters
- Location: MARIUPOL, UKRAINE / GIVEN AS MARIUPOL, UKRAINE / OLENIVKA, DONETSK REGION, UKRAINE
- City: MARIUPOL, UKRAINE / GIVEN AS MARIUPOL, UKRAINE / OLENIVKA, DONETSK REGION, UKRAINE
- Country: Ukraine
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Europe
- Reuters ID: LVA006033524082022RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported on Tuesday (August 23) that construction work was ongoing at a concert venue in Mariupol for an "open tribunal."
The venue is reportedly set to be used by local separatist authorities in the southern Ukrainian city to stage controversial trials of Ukrainian prisoners of war.
Images of what appeared to be prison cells under construction in the Mariupol Chamber Philharmonic Hall were released earlier this month by Mariupol City Council, which no longer controls the city.
The U.N. rights office on Tuesday voiced concerns about plans by Russian-backed authorities to try Ukrainian prisoners of war in Mariupol, possibly within days, saying that such a process could itself amount to a war crime.
"We are very concerned about the manner in which this is being done. There are pictures in the media of cages being built in Mariupol's philharmonic hall, really massive cages and apparently the idea is to restrain the prisoners," Ravina Shamdasani told a U.N. briefing. "This is not acceptable, this is humiliating," she said.
Wilfully depriving a prisoner of war of the right to a fair trial amounts to a war crime by Russia, she added.
There had been speculation that the pro-Russian authorities would try the Ukrainian prisoners of war, including members of Ukraine's Azov Regiment, on August 24, which is both Ukraine's Independence Day and marks six months since Moscow sent troops into Ukraine in what it calls its "special military operation" in the country.
However, there has been no confirmation of this as yet.
Ukraine, which has itself tried and convicted a string of Russian soldiers for war crimes committed against civilians, says the Azov captives are prisoners of war, deserving of protection under the Geneva Conventions.
Kyiv has made clear that any trials of Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russia or the separatist authorities under its control in eastern Ukraine would mean an end to negotiations with Russia.
Reuters was able to verify the location of the photographs by the wall design, white moulding, curtains, stage and chandelier characteristics which matched file imagery of the Philharmonic Hall in Mariupol. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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