Oleh Kuzhelev, Head of the National Information Bureau, met with Noelle Calhoun, Deputy Chief Monitor of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission.

They discussed human rights violations in TOT due to Russian military aggression and potential collaboration between the Monitoring Mission and the NIB. Specifically, they discussed recording instances of human rights violations.

The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine continues to document violations of human rights and international humanitarian law by the russian federation, by its mandate.

The Mission’s representatives stated that their annual report on the human rights situation in Ukraine will focus on the enforced disappearances of Ukrainians in the TOT.

“This is a very serious crime. According to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, enforced disappearance is the arrest, detention, abduction, or other form of deprivation of liberty by agents of the State or by persons or groups of persons acting with the authorization, support or acquiescence of the State, followed by a refusal to acknowledge the deprivation of liberty or by concealment of the fate or whereabouts of the disappeared person, leaving the person without the protection of the law,” said Deputy Head of Mission Noelle Calhoun.

Oleg Kuzhelev informed the Mission’s delegation about the main functions of the NIB. “The National Information Bureau collects and analyzes information on prisoners of war, missing persons, and persons illegally detained by the occupiers, including civilians. Additionally, it exchanges information with the International Committee of the Red Cross. After prompt processing of the information received, the data is transferred to the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.”

The NIB head emphasized that these measures aim to obtain the most reliable data on the whereabouts of illegally deported Ukrainians for their subsequent return and reunification with their families.