The event was held to implement the fourth point of the Peace Formula of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi – the release of all prisoners and deportees, which includes the release of illegally detained civilians and political prisoners both in the temporarily occupied territories and in the territory of the russian federation. The International Platform for the Release of Civilians Illegally Detained by the russian federation is designed to strengthen Ukraine's efforts and consolidate the international community to return every person.
First of all, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk thanked the initiators of the Platform and the organisers of the meeting for launching an extremely important initiative to release Ukrainian citizens illegally detained by the aggressor.
“The war unleashed by the russian federation has caused the suffering of millions of our citizens, forever leaving a mark on their fate, their present and their future,” he said, adding that a strong and just state cannot stand aside from the problems of its citizens who have suffered the horrors of forced and illegal imprisonment, the horrors of uncertainty, the horrors that the civilised world classifies as war crimes.
The Speaker of the Parliament of Ukraine noted that the illegal deprivation of liberty of Ukrainian civilians by the russian federation belongs to such crimes: “In violation of the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law, tens of thousands of people have been arbitrarily detained and illegally imprisoned, without proper conditions of detention, access to medical care, and the possibility of contacting their families.”
“russia, in violation of international law and standards of human rights and freedoms, must be held accountable and punished for its actions,” stressed Ruslan Stefanchuk, saying that the international responsibility of the aggressor country for war crimes and crimes against humanity is an integral part of justice and law and order at the international level.
In addition, he noted that it is necessary to insist to the international community on the establishment of an international tribunal – a special international court to consider crimes committed against Ukraine. According to Ruslan Stefanchuk, this court should be empowered to investigate all cases of violations of international law and crimes against humanity, including the killing of civilians, destruction of property and other human rights violations.
“We must continue to demand even tougher sanctions against russia in order to punish it once and for all for its aggressive policy,” said the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, adding that only through comprehensive and consolidated efforts of the international community can justice be served and the perpetrators punished.
“The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is an unconditional partner of the Platform in the implementation of its noble goals,” the Speaker of the Parliament of Ukraine concluded, expressing his belief that the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is ready to engage the potential of the broader parliamentary community to provide political and legal support for its activities.