Amnesty International on Sunday expressed its "deep regret for the pain and anger" it has caused after publishing a report accusing Ukrainian forces of abuses, as the government expressed outrage, and the head of the organization's branch in Kyiv resigned.
"We fully defend our findings and regret the pain it has caused," the NGO said in a statement.
The organization, which is based in London, indicated that its priority "in this conflict as in any other, is to ensure the protection of civilians... This is our only goal when we issued this report."
Last Thursday, Amnesty International issued a report accusing the Ukrainian army of endangering civilians in its resistance to the Russian army, by deploying military infrastructure in populated areas, a tactic that constitutes a violation of international humanitarian law, as it put it.
Ukrainian condemnation
The publication of the report infuriated Kyiv, with President Volodymyr Zelensky accusing Amnesty International of "trying to whitewash the terrorist state" by "somewhat equating the victim with the aggressor".
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said he was "outraged" by Amnesty International's "unfair" accusations, which point to a "wrong balance between the oppressor and the victim".
Head of Amnesty International Ukraine Oksana Pokalchuk at a press conference two months ago (Anadolu Agency)
Pokalchuk's resignation
On the other hand, Oksana Pokalchuk, head of Amnesty International Ukraine, said in a statement last Saturday night, "I announce my resignation from Amnesty International Ukraine," considering that the report published last Thursday inadvertently served "Russian media propaganda."
"He who does not live in a country that has been conquered by occupiers who divide it may not understand the meaning of condemning an army of defenders," Pokalchuk said.
Pokalchuk stated that she had unsuccessfully tried to convince the Amnesty International management that the report was biased and did not take into account the views of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, and although the organization confirmed that it had contacted the ministry late last month, it did not receive a response in time before the issuance of its report.
Pokalchuk said Amnesty "gave too little time" for the Defense Ministry to respond, adding, "As a result, the organization inadvertently released a report that appeared to inadvertently support the Russian narrative," and that "out of the protection of civilians, this report has been turned into a Russian propaganda tool."
WHO Secretary-General Agnes Callamard said she "regretted" Pokalchuk's resignation, but said she "respects her decision".
"Oksana (Pokalchuk) was a highly regarded member of Amnesty International's team, headed the Ukraine office for seven years, and scored many successes in the field of human rights," she said.
organization clarification
And Amnesty International had previously confirmed last Friday that it bears full responsibility for its report, but at the same time indicated that the Ukrainian tactics "in no way justify the indiscriminate Russian attacks" that affect the civilian population, stressing that "Russia bears sole responsibility for the violations it committed." ".
"The laws of war exist to protect civilians, which is why Amnesty International urges governments to respect them," the NGO added.
Callamard stressed last Friday that the report's conclusions "are based on evidence obtained during extensive investigations, and are subject to strict standards and a single investigative procedure in all of their work."