Ukraine: Volodymyr Zelensky Responds to Amnesty International Accusations
President Volodymyr Zelensky in a photo published by the Ukrainian presidential press service on July 23, 2022. AFP - STR
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The Ukrainian president responded Thursday evening to accusations by Amnesty International that accuses the Ukrainians of establishing military bases in schools and hospitals, a tactic that would violate international humanitarian law.
Volodymyr Zelensky believes that the NGO is trying to "
amnesty the terrorist state
" of Russia.
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In a video statement that has become daily, Volodymyr Zelensky accuses Amnesty International of "
transferring responsibility from the aggressor to the victim
".
►
To read also:
Amnesty accuses the Ukrainian army of endangering civilians, Ukraine "outraged"
“
The aggression against our state is unjustified, invasive and terrorist.
If someone writes a report in which the victim and the aggressor are in some way put on an equal footing, if certain data on the victim is analyzed and the actions of the aggressor are ignored, that does not can be tolerated
,” he added.
The head of Ukrainian diplomacy, Dmytro Kouleba, had expressed his indignation a little earlier in the day and affirmed that the remarks of Amnesty International were "
unfair
".
He accused the human rights NGO of "
creating a false balance between oppressor and victim, between the country that destroys hundreds and thousands of civilians, cities, territories and the country that fights back desperately
."
In a report published Thursday, August 4, and after a four-month investigation, Amnesty International points the finger at the Ukrainian army and accuses it of establishing military bases in schools and hospitals and of launching attacks from populated areas, a tactic that she says violates international humanitarian law.
"
The fact of being in a defensive position does not exempt the Ukrainian army from respecting international humanitarian law
", commented Agnès Callamard, the secretary general of the NGO.
► To read also: War crimes in Ukraine: what can international humanitarian law still do?
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Ukraine
Russia
NGO
Volodymyr Zelensky
Defense
Human rights
Humanitarian