HRC63 - EU Statement - HRC63 Item 4 Human Rights Situations tha...
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https://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/un-geneva/hrc63-eu-statemen...
and eastern DRC, we would like to refer to our statements during the respective interactive
dialogues.
During the General debate on item 2, we have explicitly also addressed the human rights
situation in a number of countries.
The EU remains strongly committed to fighting impunity and ensuring accountability for
all violations and abuses of international law, including international human rights law and
international humanitarian law wherever they take place. Accountability is key to the
sustainable resolution of conflicts. Together with partners across the world, the EU will
continue to support UN special procedures, mandate holders and other independent
investigations into violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international
humanitarian law, including those that may amount to international crimes.
We reaffirm our unwavering support to the international criminal justice system,
particularly to the International Criminal Court, as well as our commitment to upholding the
Rome Statute and preserving the ICC’s independence and integrity. We will continue to
condemn attacks or threats against the Court, elected officials, personnel and those
cooperating with the Court, including civil society representatives. We deeply regret the
latest decisions by some countries to initiate the process of withdrawal from the ICC Rome
Statute. Such steps weaken the international criminal justice system and undermine global
collective efforts to ensure accountability for the most serious crimes. We note however
that other countries are preparing to accede to the Rome Statute and we encourage them
to continue on that path. We firmly oppose and condemn any actions that seek to
undermine the independence and integrity of the ICC.
We reiterate our condemnation in the strongest possible terms of Russia’s illegal,
unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine that grossly violates
international law. We demand that Russia ceases its aggression, withdraws all forces and
military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine immediately, completely and
unconditionally, and fully respects Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial
integrity within its internationally recognised borders. We condemn in the strongest
possible terms Russia’s continuing violations of international human rights law and
international humanitarian law in Ukraine, such as summary executions of prisoners of war
and civilian detainees, arbitrary detention, systematic and widespread use of torture and
other forms of ill-treatment, including rape and other conflict-related sexual and genderbased violence. The EU strongly condemns Russia for systematically and deliberately
targeting Ukraine’s civilian and energy infrastructure resulting in an increasing number of
civilians killed and injured, due to Russia’s use of massive drone attacks, ballistic and cruise
missiles and other explosive weapons, including with wide area effect in urban areas, and
on other civilian infrastructure and civilians. According to the UN Independent International
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