“We need to be one war ahead”, — Olha Reshetylova said at the OSCE Warsaw Conference

Olha Reshetylova, Head of the Media Initiative for Human Rights, opened the first plenary session of the OSCE Warsaw Human Dimension Conference with an opening speech. The human rights activist began her speech with a proposal to observe a minute of silence to honor the memory of Ukrainians who died as a result of Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine.

The conference’s first plenary session was devoted to the observance of International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law in armed conflicts. The participants discussed how the war, particularly in Ukraine, violates human rights. They also discussed accountability for war crimes and other international crimes.

In her opening remarks, Olha Reshetylova called on the international community to stop wasting time on debates and consolidate efforts to act:

— International law is always late for one war. I believe we have to develop our time management skills, and be one war ahead. 

—  The persecution of civilians in the occupied territories is a systematic policy of the Russian Federation. The recent report by the OSCE Moscow Mechanism also emphasizes this. This practice has been ongoing for eleven years. Yet, neither Ukraine nor the international community has proposed an effective method for their release. 

Olha Reshetylova, head of the Media Initiative for Human Rights. Photo: MIHR

MIHR has identified 1887 Ukrainian civilians held by Russia. However, there are many more, as Russia continues to abduct people in the occupied territories. In February 2024, it was announced that a Coalition of States would be created to work on releasing civilian detainees, but there have been no results so far. Olha Reshetylova suggested that the participants create a unique analytical center with the involvement of international experts to develop a roadmap for the Coalition to release civilians.

— The OSCE has the mandate and capabilities to establish monitoring missions. I understand this is politically complicated, but these missions do not necessarily need to include representatives from Western countries. They could be composed of representatives from, for example, Central Asia. I am convinced that among our colleagues from Kazakhstan or Uzbekistan, there are many dedicated human rights defenders. Recent release of Russian political prisoners has shown that if there is a will and political determination, ways to pressure Russia can indeed be found,” the head of MIHR said.

The first plenary session of the OSCE Warsaw Human Dimension Conference. Photo: MIHR

Reshetylova paid particular attention to the deprivation of civilians and POWs of the right to a fair trial. In Russia, hundreds of trials of Ukrainians are ongoing in completely fabricated cases based on testimony obtained under torture. In this way, the Russian leadership is trying to shift the responsibility for war crimes onto Ukrainians and, worse, is building its parallel legal reality, undermining the international justice system. The only possible way to document this crime is to ensure the presence of Western diplomats at the trials of Ukrainians, noted MIHR`s head.

Author: Anastasia Loza, communications manager at the MIHR