Planned trials of Ukrainian prisoners in Mariupol concerning: UN rights office

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. "This is not acceptable, this is humiliating," she said. Willfully depriving a prisoner of war to the right to a fair trial amounts to a war crime by Russia, she added.

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.

Willfully depriving a prisoner of war to the right to a fair trial amounts to a war crime by Russia, she added.