Europe 1 with AFP 2:12 p.m., April 05, 2022
Three new investigations for "war crimes" for acts committed to the detriment of French nationals in Ukraine have been opened, the national anti-terrorist prosecutor's office announced on Tuesday.
The facts referred to were allegedly committed in Mariupol, Gostomel and Cherniguiv.
The French National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor's Office (Pnat) announced on Tuesday that it had opened three new investigations for "war crimes", for acts committed against French nationals in Ukraine since the invasion of Russia.
The facts referred to were allegedly committed in Mariupol (southern Ukraine) between February 25 and March 16, in Gostomel (kyiv region) between March 1 and 12 and Cherniguiv (north) since February 24, date to which Russian troops invaded Ukraine, said the Pnat, competent for this type of offense, in a press release.
Deliberate attacks against civilians not taking part in hostilities
"They are likely to be qualified as war crimes materialized by willful attacks on mental integrity, deliberate attacks against civilians not taking part in hostilities, deliberate deprivation of objects indispensable to the survival of civilians and /or deliberate attacks on civilian property, theft, destruction and damage to property,” the anti-terror prosecution explained.
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The investigations were entrusted to the Central Office for the Fight against Crimes against Humanity, Genocide and War Crimes (OCLCH).
The Pnat had already opened an investigation after the death of Pierre Zakrzewski, a Franco-Irish journalist, on March 14 near the Ukrainian capital.
French justice can only open investigations for acts committed outside French territory if a victim is French, if the author of the alleged war crime is French or if the author of the offense has his habitual residence on the French soil.