Ukraine: Italy in Geneva “appalled” by violations of human rights

GENEVA, OCTOBER 4 – The Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Geneva, Ambassador Gian Lorenzo Cornado, took the floor today during the Interactive dialogue on Ukraine, in the framework of the 51st session of the Human Rights Council.

“Italy reiterates its strongest condemnation of all violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law committed in the context of the Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine”, Ambassador Cornado stated, adding that “Italy is appalled by the increasing number of civilian casualties across Ukraine and is deeply concerned in view of the latest reports of atrocities perpetrated in parts of the country recently liberated by Ukrainian Armed Forces, including discoveries of mass graves in the city of Izyum”. While recalling that Italy remains committed to support all measures to ensure that those responsible are held accountable, the Italian Permanent Representative also underlined that “Russia must immediately stop its aggression, withdraw its armed forces, fully abide by its obligations under international law, and cease its filtration operations, forced deportations of Ukrainian civilians and attacks against education facilities”.

Furthermore Ambassador Cornado stated that “the global consequences of Russia’s war against Ukraine are also alarming and affect in particular the most vulnerable countries, including in terms of limited access to food” and that “Italy is actively contributing to initiatives designed to mitigate the effects of the food crisis, including in partnership with the UN Rome-based Agencies, at the EU level, and in cooperation with the G7 partners”.

While reaffirming Italy’s full solidarity with the Ukrainian people, as well as full support to Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence, Ambassador Cornado stressed that “Italy condemns in the strongest terms Russia’s attempted illegal and unacceptable annexation of the four Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk e Zaporizhzhia”.

Read the full statement here. (@OnuItalia)