Third Committee, 27th plenary meeting - General Assembly, 81st session

Colleagues, we will begin in a moment, so please take your seats. Thank you very much indeed. The 27th meeting of the Third Committee at the 81st session of the General Assembly is called to order. And I now invite the committee to continue its consideration of agenda item 70. And let me remind colleagues that the deadline for submission of draft proposals Under this agenda item is 1:00 PM next Tuesday, 3 November. And I have first a statement by the Non-Aligned Movement, and accordingly give the floor to the distinguished representative of Uganda to make a statement. Uganda, you have the floor.

Thank you, Chair. Mr. Chair, it's an honor for the Republic of Uganda to take the floor on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. on the occasion of the interactive dialogues with Special Rapporteurs and representatives on human rights situations in specific countries. Mr. Chair, during the 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement held in January 2024 in Kampala, Republic of Uganda, the Heads of State and Government reaffirmed the significant importance the Movement attaches to the promotion and protection of human rights and commitment to fulfill obligations to promote universal respect for and observance and protection of all universally recognized human rights and fundamental freedoms for all in accordance with the UN Charter, other core international human rights instruments, as appropriate, and international law. At that time, they further reaffirmed that all human rights, including the right to development, are universal, inalienable, indivisible, interdependent, and interrelated, and that human rights issues must be addressed within the global context through a constructive, non-confrontational, non-politicized, and non-selective dialogue-based approach in a fair and equal manner, with objectivity, respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-interference in the internal affairs of states, impartiality, non-selectivity, and transparency as the guiding principles, taking into account the political, historical, social, religious, and cultural particularities of each country. In this regard, they reiterate the Movement's dismay and unequivocal condemnation of the gross and systematic violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms and situations that constitute serious obstacles to their full enjoyment, as well as violent acts and activities that infringe upon their enjoyment. Similarly, the NAM emphasizes the role of the Human Rights Council as a subsidiary organ of the United Nations General Assembly, responsible for consideration of human rights situations in all countries in the context of the universal periodic review based on cooperation and constructive dialogue. The NAM expresses their deep concern over the continuation and proliferation of the practice of selective adoption of country-specific resolutions in the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly. as well as in the Human Rights Council, which is a tool that exploits human rights for political purposes, breaches the principles of universality, impartiality, objectivity, and non-selectivity in addressing human rights issues which undermine cooperation as the essential principle to effectively promote and protect all universally recognized human rights for all. The Member States of the NAM reaffirmed the need to promote greater coherence and complementarity between the work of the Third Committee and the Human Rights Council and avoid unnecessary duplication and overlapping in their activities, as well as create a working and constructive relationship between them in addressing human rights situations. We stressed that the UPR, Universal Periodic Review, is the main intergovernmental cooperative mechanism to review human rights issues at the national level in all countries without distinction, with the full involvement of the country concerned, and with the consideration given to its capacity building needs. In this context, we reject the ongoing practice of the Security Council dealing with human rights issues in pursuit of certain states' political objectives. In this regard, the NAM reiterates the importance of ensuring the implementation of the Universal Periodic Review of the Human Rights Council as an action-oriented, cooperative mechanism based on objective and reliable information and interactive dialogue, with full involvement of the countries under review and conducted in an impartial, transparent, non-selective, constructive, non-confrontational, and non-political manner. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Uganda, speaking on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. We will now move to hear an introductory statement by the Chair of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, Mr. Erik Mose, via pre-recorded video. In the usual way, participants are invited to pose questions or make comments to the speaker by pressing their microphone button. over the next three minutes, after which the list will be closed and the number of intended speakers will determine the amount of time each speaker has, and I will announce that time before I give the floor. Now, i would ask for us to play the video, please. Thank you.

Excellencies. I will now present to the Third Committee of the General Assembly the findings reached so far by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine during its fifth mandate. Four years and a half of armed conflict in Ukraine have had a devastating impact on civilians. Throughout 2026, as a consequence of the Russian Federation's escalation of attacks with explosive weapons in populated areas, there has been a steep rise in the number of civilian casualties. According to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, in September alone, the number of civilians killed and injured was 85% higher than in September 2025. As the cold season approaches, the Russian armed forces have again intensified large-scale attacks against Ukraine's energy infrastructure. Since autumn 2022, The Commission has assessed the impact on civilians of the waves of attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. During the present mandate, we have focused on the cold season of 2025-2026 and on the accumulated impact of these attacks since the outset. The frequency, intensity, and geographic range of the attacks has augmented over the years. This has caused extensive damage to Ukraine's energy facilities and has placed a heavy strain on repair capabilities. Consequently, as temperature dipped to minus 21 degrees Celsius during the last winter, millions of civilians had to cope with prolonged outages of heating, electricity, gas, and water. The energy crisis has affected multiple aspects of civilian life. The impact of the outages has led to great physical and mental suffering. Civilians have developed various health conditions due to prolonged exposure to cold in their homes. The effect was particularly severe on those who depend on powered medical devices older persons and persons with reduced mobility. Cold, fear, anxiety, and constant stress relating to the need to develop survival strategies had a grave impact on the mental health of civilians of all ages, including those who did not suffer from a pre-existing condition. A man from Kyiv stated, The scariest thing was to fall asleep and not to wake up. It was like torture to be scared of dying from cold." The Commission assessed that Russian commanders ordering the attacks had knowledge that the heating facilities targeted in large civilian agglomerations were indispensable to the civilian population. increased attacks have correlated with the onset of winter. Russian authorities have made official declarations concerning attacks being launched according to a plan. The evidence demonstrates that the waves of attacks were widespread and systematic, carried out with intent and pursuant to a state policy to deprive the civilian population of essential energy services, thereby causing great suffering. The Commission has therefore concluded that the Russian authorities have committed war crimes of intentionally directing attacks against civilian objects, as well as crimes against humanity of other inhumane acts. Distinguished President Excellencies, the Commission has also found that Russian authorities, in coordination with agents operating around the world, have trafficked nationals from 29 countries across continents to enlist them in their armed forces and send them to front lines in Ukraine. The victims, all men, had been lured from abroad to the Russian Federation through deception and fraud by agents exploiting their vulnerabilities and enticing them to accept false offers of employment. Upon arrival in the Russian Federation, the recruits were forced to sign contracts in Russian language with the Ministry of Defense. The recruits were handed over to the Russian Armed Forces and were subsequently exploited on the front line in Ukraine, assigned highly dangerous tasks, often resulting in death or long-lasting injuries and trauma. The Commission found a high degree of coordination between recruiting agents and Russian authorities. Agents or agencies processed visas for groups of recruits, purchased plane tickets, and traveled with them internationally. Corresponding agents in the Russian Federation met them at airports and brought them to sign the military contracts. The Commission concluded that such recruitment constitutes trafficking in persons and violates fundamental human rights of the victims. Concluding, the Commission is concerned at the magnitude of harm inflicted to civilians as a consequence of the protracted armed conflict and the crimes and violations documented. It recalls that attacks against civilians and civilian objects are prohibited in international law and must end. The Commission further calls for all those trafficked to be discharged from the Russian armed forces. More generally, it reiterates the key importance of judicial and non-judicial accountability mechanisms, which include meaningful support to the victims of violations and crimes. Thank you.

That concludes, obviously, the pre-recorded intervention by Mr. Mosse. I now will invite delegations to take the floor, but just to give you advance notice that Mr. Pablo de Grif, who is a member of the International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, has joined us today. You're very welcome. And he will be responding to the questions and comments made at the end of Member State interventions. The first delegation on my list is Ukraine, to be followed by Poland, France, Georgia, and Germany. Ukraine, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Ukraine deeply values the work of the Commission, whose rigorous collection and analysis of evidence have been immensely important in exposing Russia's crimes establishing their systematic nature. Previously, the Commission concluded that Russian authorities committed crimes against humanity, such as enforced disappearances, the deportation and forcible transfer of Ukrainian children, the torture, and including sexual violence. The report presented today adds to this body of findings by examining Russia's systematic attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. The Commission concludes that Russian authorities committed war crimes and the crime against humanity, deliberately depriving civilians of essential energy supplies and causing suffering. These findings are exceptionally timely. Winter is approaching, and Russia is intensifying these attacks. Unable to break Ukraine's resistance on the battlefield, Russia seeks to make civilian life unbearable, leaving families without heating, hospitals without reliable electricity, and older persons and children exposed to dangerous cold. This behavior, documented by the Commission, continues as we speak. We also welcome the Commission's findings that Russian authorities, working with the recruitment networks, trafficked foreign nationals from 29 countries into the Russian armed forces through deception and coercion. But our authorities, Ukrainian authorities, identified the nationals from 45 countries. We strongly encourage continued investigation of these practices and cooperation with the affected countries to prevent further recruitment and protect victims. We hope that the Commission’s findings will lead to accountability, including for those who devised and ordered these crimes, regardless of rank and office. In this context, we wish to ask the Commission: What collective steps can states and international institutions take to turn these findings into effective prosecutions, particularly for crimes against humanity. Thank you.

Thank you, Ukraine. And I realize I didn't indicate the time limit, which will apply to all subsequent speakers, Ukraine being in a special position. So all subsequent speakers have a one-minute time limit. And the speakers will be Poland, France, Georgia, Germany, Romania, Slovenia, to then be followed by quite a substantial list beyond that. But I pass the floor first to my colleague, Permanent Representative of Poland.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would thank the Commission of Inquiry, its chair, Mr. Moos, for a comprehensive report and the concrete recommendations it contains. Mr. Chair, both issues highlighted in the report, military attacks on civilians' infrastructure in Ukraine and its intensified recruitment of foreign nationals into Russian armed forces, show that Russia, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, terror and deception are the key for them as an instrument of the policy. and welfare. By targeting energy facilities and on the eve of the winter season, Kremlin seeks to create chaos and undermine the Ukrainian society's morale. The very thoroughly described practice of deceptive requirement of foreign citizens proves Russian desperation on one hand and cynicism on the other. We urge the states mentioned in the report to take a closer look at that phenomenon. Poland reaffirms its steadfast support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. We call on the international community to stand in solidarity with the brave Ukrainian people defending their homeland and dignity.

Thank you, Poland. I pass the floor to Ambassador Alabrin of France. You have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. France condemns with the greatest staunchness the illegal and unjustified violations of Russian Charter of the United Nations, your report shows the number of victims is going up in an alarming way, with direct targeting by Russia of civilian infrastructure, including energy infrastructure and schools and residential areas. There are so many, these are all flagrant violations of humanitarian law. Russia is attempting to provoke a humanitarian catastrophe in Russia this winter, as far as we can tell, with also the the rights and fundamental freedoms of the people of Ukraine that is affected by Russia. We are also, there are trafficking of people into, of foreign persons, and this is putting them in a difficult position, and this is also a matter of concern. We need an end to these practices. Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I pass the floor to Georgia, to be followed by Germany. Georgia, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We thank the Commission for its report and its continued effort to document violations and abuses rising from Russia's aggression against Ukraine. We are deeply concerned by the Commission's findings regarding the repeated and increasingly intense attacks against Ukraine's energy infrastructure. Such attacks, as the Commission concludes, may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity. We are equally concerned by the findings regarding the recruitment of foreign nationals into the Russian armed forces through deception, coercion, and the abuse of vulnerability. These practices demand urgent action and accountability. Georgia once again condemns Russia's unprovoked, full-scale and illegal invasion of Ukraine and reiterates its unwavering support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, including its territorial waters. I thank you.

Thank you, Georgia. I pass the floor to Germany, to be followed by Romania. Germany, you have the floor.

Thank you, Chair. We align ourselves with the statement to be delivered by the European Union. We thank the Commission for its sobering briefing and report. We are deeply concerned by the Commission's findings on Russia's repeated and systematic large-scale attacks against Ukraine's energy infrastructure, which have increased in intensity and scope with disastrous effects for the growing number of civilians. We are equally disturbed by the findings on the trafficking and exploitation of foreign nationals for the purpose of serving in Russia’s armed forces. Russia must immediately end its ongoing, widespread, and systematic human rights violations. All those responsible must be held accountable. Germany stands with the people of Ukraine. Commissioner, how can Member States fight impunity and ensure accountability of persons responsible for the recruitment of foreign nationals? I thank you.

Thank you. Germany. I pass the floor to Romania, to be followed by Slovenia, then Liechtenstein. Romania.

Chair, the latest findings of the Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine continue showcasing serious violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law committed in the context of Russia’s full-scale invasion on Ukraine. The ongoing impact of the aggression on the civilian population remains a matter of serious concern. We are particularly concerned by the Commission’s findings regarding the deportation and forcible transfer of Ukrainian children to the Russian Federation or to territories of Ukraine occupied by Russia. Their safe and prompt return should remain an international priority and raise serious concerns under international law and international humanitarian law, alongside the need to identify as soon as possible effective mechanisms for tracing children, supporting their families, and ensuring accountability for violations committed against them. Romania has translated this commitment into concrete action as a member of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children. We remain committed to ensuring effective remedies for victims and preventing impunity for

Thank you, Romania.

I pass to Slovenia, then Liechtenstein. Slovenia, you have the floor.

Mr. Chair, we thank the Independent International Commission for their report and express deep concern over its findings. Slovenia is particularly concerned by the forcible deportation and transfer of Ukrainian civilians, especially children, to the Russian Federation or occupied territories, as well as by the reported imposition of Russian patriotic and military education on children aimed at undermining their Ukrainian identity. We urge for their immediate, safe, and unconditional return to their homes. We are also profoundly concerned by Russia's large-scale attacks on Ukraine's energy and other critical infrastructure, causing intolerable living conditions for the civilian population. These developments underscore the urgent need to uphold international law and prevent further violations from becoming normalized. We would therefore like to ask the Commission: what further measures can the international community take to prevent further erosion of established norms governing the conduct of hostilities and ensure that such practices do not set a dangerous precedent? I thank you.

Thank you, Slovenia. I pass to Liechtenstein, followed by Canada, the European Union, Venezuela, Japan, and Nicaragua. Liechtenstein, you have the floor.

We thank the Commission of Inquiry for its most recent report on the incremental scale of civilian suffering in Ukraine as a result of war crimes committed by Russia, including the intentional targeting of the energy infrastructure. Liechtenstein strongly condemns these deliberate attacks against civilian infrastructure, which directly counteract efforts to bring about a just and lasting peace. We are also alarmed by the compelling evidence that Russian authorities have lured persons from abroad using deception or coercion in order to recruit them in the Russian armed forces. Liechtenstein condemns all forms of trafficking in persons and echoes the calls by the Commission for the effective investigation and prosecution of these crimes. Could you please further elaborate on what Member States can do to help tackling and preventing the trafficking in persons to the front lines in Ukraine? Thank you.

Thank you, Liechtenstein. I pass to Canada, then European Union. Canada, you have the floor.

Thank you, Chair. Canada strongly condemns Russia’s illegal and unjustifiable war against Ukraine. Four years in, civilians and civilian objects continue to face sustained Russian strikes, causing civilian casualties, damage to civilian infrastructure, and widespread human suffering. Canada reaffirms its steadfast support to Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity. Canada is alarmed by the Commission’s findings, including on Russia’s reported intentional and systematic strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Canada is also gravely concerned by findings regarding the indoctrination of Ukrainian children in the temporarily occupied territories. These findings reinforce the urgent need to secure the return of unlawfully deported and forcibly transferred Ukrainian children. Commissioner, what additional actions can States take to support accountability for strikes affecting civilian energy infrastructure and the harms inflicted on civilians? And, Commissioner, what practical steps can the international community take to prevent the deceptive recruitment of foreign nationals into the armed conflict? Thank you.

Thank you. I pass the floor to European, followed by Venezuela. European Union, you have the floor.

Thank you, Chair. The EU and its member states condemn in the strongest possible terms Russia's illegal, brutal, unprovoked, and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine that grossly violates international law and the core principles of the UN Charter. We are deeply concerned and condemn in the strongest possible terms Russia's continued deliberate targeting of Ukrainian civilians, civilian infrastructure, humanitarian, and medical facilities, As winter approaches, Russia's continued attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure threaten to deprive millions of Ukrainians of electricity, heating, and water. The EU also condemns in the strongest possible terms the atrocities committed, including arbitrary detentions, extrajudicial killings, and forced disappearances, widespread and systematic torture. On our question, what can and should countries do to protect their nationals from deceptive and coercive recruitment in the Russian armed forces? Thank you, Chair.

Thank you, European Union. I have Venezuela, Japan, Nicaragua, Czechia, Australia, Croatia, Montenegro, and Latvia. Venezuela, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The promotion and protection of all human rights require genuine commitment to a respected dialogue, international cooperation, and full respect for sovereign equality, political independence, non-interference in the internal affairs of states, and the self-determination of peoples in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations. From that position of principles, Venezuela reiterates its call to end practices that promote an approach to human rights that is based on attacks on the principles of objectivity, impartiality, transparency, and non-selectivity, and that can only end by promoting spaces for confrontation, while weakening trust among states and undermining credibility of the United Nations human rights system, especially when they contemplate mechanisms that don't have the consent of the States concerned. In that regard, we reaffirm the central role of the UPR as the universal mechanism for dialogue among equals with the participation of national authorities.

And the microphone has been cut off.

Thank you, Venezuela. I pass to Japan, then Nicaragua. Japan, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would like to thank the Chair of COI on Ukraine for his briefing and the Commission's valuable work in documenting and investigating the human rights situation in Ukraine. As Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine enters its fifth year, civilians continue to bear the brunt of its consequences. Japan is deeply concerned by the Commission's findings, which point to a continued deterioration of the human rights situation, including persistent rising civilian We once again condemn attacks against civilians in the strongest terms and call on Russia to fully comply with the obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Japan will continue to stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, together with allies and partners, in pursuit of just and lasting peace.

I thank you.

Thank you, Japan. Nicaragua, followed by the Czechia. Nicaragua, have the floor.

Mr. Chair, Nikolai Gur categorically rejects the use of international human rights mechanisms as instruments to manipulate, coerce, and meddle within sovereign states. We need to promote human rights, and we promote these are promoting partial approaches to the Russian Federation. These are policies that have nothing to do with true international cooperation. This selective and politically motivated mechanism have become a means of cooperation in which there are double standards that are applied, and that we're trying to simplify complex situations through non-selectivity. We are fully standing shoulder to shoulder with the Russian Federation, with the smear campaigns. and the attempts to isolate and discredit sovereign states. Our Government upholds the sovereign equality of states, non-interference in internal affairs, and respect for international law. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Nicaragua. I pass to Czechia, then Australia. Czechia, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Republic aligns itself with the statement by the European Union and thanks the Commission for its report and important work. For years, Russian forces have intentionally struck Ukraine's energy infrastructure, fully aware that heating, electricity, and water are indispensable for civilian survival, especially during winter. This amounts to war crimes and crimes against humanity. We are outraged by the continued killing of civilians. Just days ago, a Russian drone struck a park in Nova Vodolaha, killing six civilians, including one-year-old Angelina. We reiterate our call on Russia to end the forcible transfer and deportation of Ukrainian children and cease their militarization. Furthermore, we condemn the trafficking of foreign nationals into Russian military service through deception and coercion. Commissioner, how can the international community further advance accountability for these crimes? Thank you.

Thank you, Czechia. I pass to Australia, then Croatia. Australia, you have the floor.

Thank you, Chair. And Australia thanks the Commission for its update. Russia's unjustified and unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine continues to cause horrific suffering and loss of life, and demonstrates Russia's utter contempt for international law, including the UN Charter. Australia remains deeply concerned by the human rights violations outlined in this report, including the use of torture, sexual violence, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances and summary executions. We deplore Russia’s mistreatment of children in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, evidenced by the transfers and deportations of unaccompanied children and the distortion of education. And we are disturbed by credible reports of systematic repression in the temporarily occupied Crimea. Chair, we ask what more can the international community do to end Russia's aggression and ensure accountability for its human rights violations in Ukraine? Australia stands with the Ukrainian people and calls on Russia to immediately and unconditionally withdraw from Ukraine's internationally.

Thank you, Australia. I pass to Croatia, then Montenegro, and Latvia. Croatia have the floor.

Thank you, Chair.

We thank Mr. Mose and express our strong support for Commission's work. We condemn all crimes committed in Russia's unprovoked, unjustifiable, and illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. All those responsible for violations of human rights and international humanitarian law must be held to account. As winter approaches, the humanitarian situation continues to worsen, which requires our continuous focus and engagement.

Croatia stands in solidarity with the.

Ukrainian people, providing humanitarian aid and support for refugees, contributing to alternative energy solutions and early recovery efforts. We also share our post-war experience, especially in humanitarian demining, veteran rehabilitation and reintegration, and psychosocial support for war-affected children.

Mr. Mohsen, given that the report highlights the particularly difficult circumstances of economically disadvantaged.

People and those unable to leave the most affected areas of Ukraine, we would welcome your insights on how to adapt our assistance to better meet the needs of all those affected. Thank you.

Thank you, Croatia. I pass to Montenegro, to be followed by Latvia, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Finland, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and China. Montenegro, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We thank the Commission for its important work and reaffirm our full support for its mandate. Montenegro reiterates its unwavering support for Ukrainian sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, and strongly condemns Russia's war of aggression in violation of the UN Charter and international law. We are deeply alarmed by the Commission's latest findings concerning Russia's systematic attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, depriving millions of civilians of heating, electricity, and water, particularly during winter. The Commission's conclusion that these attacks constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity underscores the urgent need for accountability. We are equally concerned by the documented trafficking of foreign nationals for recruitment into Russian armed forces. Montenegro firmly believes that there can be no lasting peace without justice and accountability. Mr. Commissioner, given Russia's lack of cooperation, how can the Commission's findings most effectively contribute to accountability? Thank you.

Thank you, Montenegro. I pass to Latvia, then Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Latvia.

Thank you, Chair. Latvia thanks the Commission for the report, which adds to an overwhelmingly large body of evidence on Russia's deliberate and despicable escalation, an escalation in complete violation of international law and blatant disregard of global calls for a ceasefire and end to suffering. Both topics of this inquiry are very timely. First, on the findings that the attacks on civilian energy infrastructure are deliberate by Russia's political and military leadership, this is a war on Ukrainian civilians. We call On Russia to stop, we call on everyone to support Ukrainian families to survive this coming winter in every possible way. Second, on the findings that nationals of 29 countries have been lured into Russia’s armed forces through deception or coercion, even amounting to human trafficking, let me call also on the affected countries to speak up and increase pressure on Russia. We call on decisive action by relevant authorities to stop this human trafficking. I thank you.

Thank you, Lefia. Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, to be followed by Finland and Luxembourg. DPRK, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The DPRK delegation expresses deep concern over the growing trend of human rights mechanisms being transformed into a political tool for geopolitical confrontation and isolation. The report heavily relies on prejudice, narratives, and unverified sources, while completely ignoring the root cause of Ukraine's situation. The Commission’s findings undermine the fundamental principles of the UN Charter, inter alia, sovereign equality and non-interference. Politically driven selective approach is detrimental to the advancement of human rights. My delegation stands firmly against weaponization of human rights and calls on the Commission to adhere a balanced, constructive, objective, and non-politicized approach. I thank you.

Thank you, DPRK, Finland, then Luxembourg, Switzerland and China. Finland, you have the floor.

Mr. Chair, I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Nordic and Baltic States. We strongly condemn Russia's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine, which violates international law and the core principles of the UN Charter, and continues to lead to devastating human rights violations. Civilians continue to bear a large part of the brunt of the war, with rising casualties and damage to civilian objects and energy infrastructure. This despite Ukraine's offer a full ceasefire as well as energy ceasefire. We are concerned by continuous reports of violations in Ukrainian territories temporarily occupied by Russia, including torture, restrictions on fundamental freedoms, and by reports of the militarization and ideological indoctrination of children. We call on Russia to release arbitrarily detained civilians, to provide.

Thank you, Finland. I pass to Luxembourg, then Switzerland.

Luxembourg, you have the floor.

Chair, Luxembourg aligns itself with the statement of the EU and the League to add the following elements in our national capacity. We reiterate our unwavering support for Ukraine and for setting up a special tribunal for crimes of aggression against Ukraine. We share the concerns of the report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry, and we condemn Attacks carried out by Russian armed forces against energy infrastructure in Ukraine, thus depriving the population, the civilian population, of heating as winter rapidly approaches. That is why. In August, Luxembourg contributed 8 million additional euros to a fund to support energy in Europe. This brings our total contribution to 30 million euros. We are concerned about the forcible recruitment of foreign soldiers into the Russian army, and we reiterate our deep concern regarding forced deportation and indoctrination of Ukrainian children by Russia. We call on Russia to

– the speaker has been cut off.

Luxembourg, I pass to Switzerland, then China, then Ireland. Switzerland, do you have the floor?

Thank you, Chair. Switzerland thanks the Commission of Inquiry for its work and reiterates its support for the Commission. Members of the Commission, what measures can States take to protect victims of trafficking recruited into the Russian Armed Forces, facilitate their return, and ensure that those responsible are held accountable for their actions? We are deeply concerned by the cumulative impact of attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, particularly during the winter of 2025-2026, which deprived millions of civilians of essential services. According to the Commission of Inquiry, some of these acts constitute war crimes as their perpetrators were fully aware of the consequences for civilians. We call on the Russian Federation to cease these attacks immediately. Switzerland is also alarmed by reports that foreign nationals are being recruited into the Russian armed forces. through deception or coercion. This Commission concludes that these practices constitute human trafficking, exposing the victims to extreme risks. We call on the Russian Federation to put an end to this, to release victims from military service, and to cooperate with the States concerned to ensure their protection and return. We reiterate our call on

Thank you, Switzerland.

I pass to China, then Ireland. China, you have the.

Mr. Chair, the ongoing hostilities in the Ukraine conflict continue to cause civilian casualties and worsen the humanitarian crisis, and it's a shared expectation of the international community that the parties to the conflict seek peace, advance peace talks, and achieve reconciliation. China's position on this issue is consistent, clear, and unequivocal. Guided by the four shoots of President Xi Jinping, we call for peace, ceasefire, promote peace talks, and facilitate political settlement. China has maintained close communication with relevant parties and sent special envoys for château diplomacy, playing a constructive role in resolving the crisis peacefully. China calls on all parties to uphold objectivity, impartiality, and fairness on the issue, continue to advance peace, and encourage the parties concerned to move towards each other, contribute to a political settlement, and generally promote and protect human rights. I thank you, Chair.

Thank you, China. I pass to Ireland, then United Kingdom, Islamic Republic of Iran, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Iceland, and Spain. Ireland, you have the floor.

Chair Ireland aligns with the EU statement and thanks the Independent International Commission. Over four years since the beginning of the full-scale illegal aggression, Russia continues its human rights violations and takes a conscious choice to do so in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. Systemic coercion and oppression, documented cases of enforced disappearances, arbitrary detention, and torture. Ireland remains gravely concerned by the High Commissioner's recent reporting documenting over 1,000 cases of sexual violence against both citizens and prisoners of war in Ukraine. Chair, how can states best assist in the pursuit of justice and accountability for victims and survivors of human rights violations, including sexual violence committed by Russian authorities in the occupied territories of Ukraine? And how can the international community work to address ongoing humanitarian and human rights crises to prevent further human rights abuses by Russia? Thank you.

Thank you, Ireland. I pass to United Kingdom, then Islamic Republic of Iran. United Kingdom, you have the floor.

The UK thanks the Commission and reaffirms our full support for its mandate.

The Commission finds that for more than.

Four years, Russia has pursued a state policy of attacking Ukraine's energy infrastructure, intensifying strikes in cold periods despite knowing the impact on civilians.

It concludes that these are war crimes. It also documents that the coordinated trafficking of foreign nationals into Russia's forces through deception and coercion. These findings expose the contradiction between Russia's conduct and the anti-colonial and anti-fascist.

Principles it claims to champion at the United Nations. Russia has used winter deprivation to force its sovereign people into submission, while exploiting vulnerable people across Africa, Asia, and Latin America through deception and coercion for its war. This is domination and exploitation, not liberation.

Commissioners.

How can states best cooperate to dismantle these trafficking networks and support Ukraine as well?

Thank you, United Kingdom. I pass to Islamic Republic of Iran, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Iceland, Spain, Turkmenistan, and finally, Sovereign Order of Malta. Islamic Republic of Iran, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Islamic Republic of Iran reaffirms that the promotion and protection of human rights must rest upon the principles of universality, objectivity, non-selectivity, impartiality, and non-politicization, as set out in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action and relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council. The country-specific mandates are incompatible with these principles. They reflect a selective and politicized approach, apply double standards, and are driven by political considerations rather than a genuine and balanced commitment to human rights. Such mandates interfere in the internal affairs of sovereign states, demand constructive cooperation and prove counterproductive. Priority should be given to dialogue, technical cooperation and capacity building undertaken with the consent of the State concerned and on the basis of mutual respect. Selective mechanisms erode trust among Member States and divert attention from the universal.

Goals of the United Nations. Thank you.

Iran, Kingdom of the Netherlands, followed by Iceland. Kingdom of the Netherlands, you have the floor.

Thank you, Chair.

COI is a very important mechanism and we support its mandate and the others that have found.

Serious crimes, crimes against humanity, war crimes in Ukraine.

Russia's aggression has been going on for 12 years and they continue to target civilians deliberately as a strategy to try and get the Ukrainian people to surrender.

We urge Russia to stop its aggression and to stop its violations, including in the temporarily occupied territories.

We are particularly concerned by the situation in Oleshky, and we welcome a humanitarian ceasefire there, and we ask the COI how the international community can best support the humanitarian ceasefire to get the civilians that are there the goods and services they require.

Thank you.

Thank you, Kingdom of the Netherlands. Iceland, you have the floor. Microphone to Iceland, please. Sorry, there is no Iceland. I pass to Spain. Spain, you have the floor.

Is there Iceland or not? All right.

Chair, Spain aligns itself with the statement delivered by the EU. We thank the chair of the Independent Commission. We once again regret that Russia is not cooperating with the committee, which means the international community must increase support for its work. The conclusions in the report are once again deeply alarming. We agree with the Commission that the ongoing Russian attacks on critical infrastructure constitute a war crime. We are particularly concerned by the fact that this is prolonged. We also take note of the recruitment of foreign soldiers from 29 countries through coercion or deceit to serve in the armed forces. And as the Commission notes, this can constitute human trafficking. We call for an end to Russian occupation of Ukrainian territories, and we recall that only accountability will allow for lasting peace. Thank you.

Thank you. Spain. Turkmenistan, followed by Sovereign Order of Malta. Turkmenistan, you have the floor.

Mr. Chair, we have taken note of the report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of the human rights in the Russian Federation, our country takes a restrained approach against country-specific approaches and oppose use them as an element of political pressure. When considering specific initiatives, we look at the goals and the position of the affected states, as well as whether the measures proposed can truly contribute to an improvement of human rights. We are convinced that sustainable progress on human rights is achieved through mutual cooperation, mutual respect and cooperation with the affected state, given its priorities. Thank you. We also believe that international efforts on human rights should be aimed at helping initiatives that have been requested by the state itself. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Turkmenistan. I pass to the Sovereign Order of Malta. You have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The continued deterioration of the human rights situation in Ukraine remains a matter of profound concern. The Sovereign Order of Malta reiterates its call for a peaceful and sustainable resolution to the conflict through diplomatic means, and urges all parties to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law. Particular attention must be given to those facing heightened risks. The Order of Malta remains steadfast in its commitment to assisting Ukrainian civilians. Since 2022, approximately 10,000 tons of humanitarian aid has been delivered to support Ukrainian civilians facing the consequences of this conflict. Our efforts also seek to address urgent medical needs and strengthen the capacity of local healthcare services. Through specialized psychosocial support programs, the Order of Malta continues to assist people affected, having reached more than 60,000 beneficiaries. Mr. Chair, we must remain resolute in pursuing a peaceful and sustainable settlement, ensuring that the protection of civilians and respect for international law are never treated as a secondary consideration. Let us remain committed to a future in which the people of Ukraine can live in peace and security.

Thank you, Sovereign Order of Malta. And our final speaker in this segment of interventions from the floor is Ukraine. You have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Ukraine takes the floor in exercise of right of reply to respond to the assertions made by several delegations. We have heard claims that human rights are being weaponized against Russian Federation and the international community applies double standards. Let us be clear: investigating violations of international law is not weaponization, documenting crime is not a political attack, and demanding accountability is not double standard. If any delegation believes that the Commission’s findings are inaccurate, it is free to challenge the evidence. But simply invoking politicization does not refute the findings, nor does it answer the question of responsibility for acts documented. So in this case, today’s Commission made all the findings, and the credibility of this organization depends not on whether accountability is politically convenient, but whether we are prepared to pursue it consistently. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Ukraine. The Secretary has just asked me to remind colleagues, in fact, you had a right to speak by way of a final statement, but not a right of reply, so forgive that slight clarification. That concludes all interventions from the floor. It's now my pleasure to give the floor to Mr. Pablo de Greiff, member of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, to respond to comments and answer questions. You have the floor.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair, and thank you very much to all of you for your interventions, your questions, expressions, and support, and different views. Let me cluster my responses, and by the way, how long do I have?

Ten minutes.

Okay. So let me cluster my response around the following topics. A good number of the questions address what can be done in order to enhance accountability for the violations that the Commission has been documenting for now five mandates. And of course, if we are talking about criminal accountability, the Commission has gathered a tremendous amount of evidence that can be put to use by request in national jurisdictions for cases under the principle of universal jurisdiction. The evidence can also be requested and used by multilateral accountability mechanisms. And, of course, we expect the reports to be of use in dialogues in multinational forums, both for general questions about the conduct of the conflict and also for specific debates about how to deal, how to mitigate, to some extent, the consequences of the violations. Now, that is as far as judicial accountability goes, and the Commission, of course, follows with interest the debates about the establishment of different mechanisms for accountability with respect to this conflict. The Commission, however, has always, since its first report, espoused a wide notion of accountability that insists on the importance of judicial accountability, but also insists on the importance of different forms of accountability, including mechanisms relating to the preservation of truth and primarily to the protection and reparation of the victims of the conflict. So with respect to the two issues which this report focuses on, the attacks on the electrical infrastructure, and I would like to stress that the Commission has, with a great deal of care, examined the evidence, which is not second-hand evidence, but relies on direct evidence gathered by the Commission, interviewing victims that have suffered in place the violations that we deal with in the reports. It relies also on interviews with medical experts, with government officials, and in the process of compiling this report, as all other reports, it sought information and collaboration from the Russian Federation in consistency with the principle of impartiality and objectivity. During the five years that they, almost five years that the commission has been in existence, it has directed 44 different communications to the Russian Federation soliciting information, and it has never received a single response. But to go back to the main point, with respect to the attacks on federal infrastructure, on electrical infrastructure, Taking seriously the idea of a broad notion of accountability would involve giving support to the absolutely tireless efforts of Ukrainian authorities to repair those infrastructures shortly after they are attacked. The problem, however, is that both in the phase of extreme temperatures and of repeated attacks on the same objects, repair becomes increasingly difficult over time. But needless to say, supporting the efforts of repair, both through funds, technical advice, and the possibility of replacing vital equipment is something that can be done. It goes without saying that the different types of suffering and hardship that is created by the attacks leads both to physical and to psychological hardship for the victims, and therefore, again, providing support and repair to victims, both in their psychological dimension through the provision of psychological support programs, but also material support so that both houses, dwellings, apartments, and other absolutely vital infrastructure like water utilities, hospitals, can be repaired, is something that the international community can do and that the Commission has always encouraged as an important part of a broad notion of accountability for victims. The other set of questions had to do with the second topic that the report deals with, which is the trafficking of persons in order to fight with the Russian Federation Armed Forces in the front line. I have to say here the situation is a bit dramatic because the demographic profile of the victims is pretty uniform. These are people that have very, very elementary education, that are under conditions normally of poverty or unemployment in their home countries, and that as a consequence are easily lured by offers of civilian employment with great economic benefits and additionally other sorts of benefits, like, for example, offers of future opportunities, including residence in the Russian Federation. That pattern which we observed across the 29 countries that we had cases from and which we could examine in detail is a uniform pattern. And of course, because trafficking of persons is not new to the international community, we, of course, encourage member states in order to deploy very familiar, useful tools for the prevention of trafficking, having to do, for example, with the broad advertising of the possibility of these offers being made to nationals. taking a great deal of care about the movement of nationals across borders, having very serious conversations with the Russian authorities in country. Their embassies and consular offices are, of course, a part of these trafficking network, and therefore, this is something that can be done not just in multilateral forums like this, but in country through bilateral conversations. And of course, there is the obligation, which we realize is not an easy one to fulfill, the obligation of consular services of nation states, of member states in the Russian Federation to aid families, for example, in the repatriation of remains. And it goes without saying that without the collaboration of the Russian Federation, this is particularly difficult to accomplish. And perhaps to finish, let me reiterate that Those that think that commissions of inquiry of this sort meddle in the internal affairs of countries should keep in mind that this is a commission of inquiry that was established in order to deal with possible violations of an international conflict. that here we are not dealing exclusively with the behavior of member states with regards to their own citizens, which of course are also covered by international law and by international human rights protection, but that we are examining the behavior of states in an international conflict, and we wish to make a contribution to the humanization of that conflict by making sure that both parties comply with the international legal obligations. And I thank you very much.

Thank you, Commissioner. That concludes that particular segment, and we now move to the engagement with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus, Mr. Nils Moiseiņeks. who is joining us virtually. Participants will be able to intervene from the floor in the usual way, so if you press your microphone in the next three minutes, we'll create a list and I'll advise you of the amount of time we have per speaker, depending on the number of those seeking the floor. I now invite the Special Rapporteur to address us. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen. President Lukashenko declared 2026 the Year of the Belarussian Woman. Now, in the spirit of assisting the Belarussian government, I decided to provide them and you not only with the usual annual overview of developments, but also with an analysis of the situation of gender equality and women's rights in Belarus. Now, over the reporting period, the overall human rights situation in Belarus continued to deteriorate, with political repression increasingly intertwined with gender discrimination. Now, the most worrying overall trend is a continued political persecution of people, including many women, for the legitimate and peaceful exercise of their rights. Over the last year, several hundred political prisoners have been released through pardons. However, persecution is often continued after release, with the authorities forcibly expelling released people from the country, seizing their passports or declaring them invalid, prosecuting exiles in absentia and seizing their assets in Belarus, and harassing relatives remaining in Belarus, and implementing other forms of transnational repression, so that the repression does not stop at the borders of Belarus. While some innocent people have been released, new arrests, detentions, and incarceration of innocent people continue. This month, human rights defenders still count about 900 political prisoners in Belarus, including more than 110 women, meaning that Belarus continues to be among the world leaders in political prisoners per capita. The authorities continue to abuse vague counterterrorism, anti-extremism, and other legislation to target innocent people, the authorities are increasingly trying to cover their tracks by ceasing publication of information about politically motivated trials, intimidating friends and relatives so that they are afraid to talk with human rights defenders or journalists, and silencing all who could report on repression, including lawyers who are often required to sign non-disclosure agreements. Political repression often has a strong gender dimension in Belarus. As you may recall, women played a prominent role in the peaceful protest movement following the fraudulent 2020 election. Women political and civic leaders have also faced gender-specific forms of ill-treatment in detention. Thus, I receive a lot of reports that women political prisoners face degrading searches, threats relating to motherhood and custody of children, humiliating comments about their bodies, denial of bras and undershirts, and restrictions on menstrual hygiene products. Women political prisoners reportedly are assigned to particularly demanding or humiliating forms of forced labor, including manufacturing uniforms and equipment for the security services, and refusal to work often results in sanctions, including extension of imprisonment terms. Now, the government's destruction of civic space has had a disproportionately negative impact on women. NGOs that used to provide legal advice and social support to women victims of gender-based violence have been shut down. Thus, a national helpline ceased operating, and many specialist shelters have been liquidated. The elimination of independent trade unions also has a disproportionate effect on women. who are overrepresented in lower paid sectors. Women lawyers defending politically persecuted individuals have also faced severe reprisals. Since 2020, at least 60 women advocates have been depropped of their right to practice, while several have faced criminal prosecution. The persecution has extended to women lawyers in exile, including through their designation as extremists. These measures undermine the independence of the legal profession and deprive victims of political repression of essential legal assistance. Women-led community initiatives have also faced repression. Thus, in March of this year, a Belarusian court convicted at least 50 individuals, including 39 women, in a case called the Courtyard Chats. This initiative supported elderly persons, children with disabilities, families of political prisoners, and displaced persons from Ukraine. Now, women face direct and indirect discrimination in various sectors. Belarus still restricts access to 88 occupations for women, justifying this on reproductive health grounds. Women face smaller admission quotas and higher admission thresholds in several institutions of higher education, while the Ministry of Health limits women's access to certain specializations. In certain sectors traditionally dominated by women, such as educators, tour guides, and publishers, the authorities have introduced ideological vetting, background checks, and professional bans to exclude individuals on the basis of broadly defined extremism-related offenses. Now, much of my analysis And my conclusions and recommendations echo those of the CEDAW Committee, which adopted observations on Belarus in 2025. My report also echoes the findings of the ILO, which has placed Belarus under enhanced scrutiny. I wanted to show that in the Year of the Belarusian Woman, many women in the country and those forced into exile face intersecting forms of discrimination that target them for their political opinions or actions, and their gender. Now, I urge the Belarusian authorities to fully implement the CEDAW Committee's recommendations to end politically motivated persecution, to release and rehabilitate all persons arbitrarily detained for exercising their rights, to restore independent civil society and trade unions, and adopt comprehensive legislation to eliminate discrimination and gender-based violence. To conclude, I unequivocally condemn the U.S. government’s sanctions against the International Criminal Court, as well as prolonged sanctions against ICC judges and the Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territory, Francesco Albanese, and increasing attacks against special procedures more broadly. These actions violate international law and undermine the core integrity of the UN human rights system, including special procedures as a whole. I call on all states to decisively reject and refuse to enforce these sanctions, and I urge the United States to immediately rescind them. Thank you for your attention.

Thank you, Special Rapporteur. We now have a list of speakers. The time limit will be three minutes per intervention. And I will go first to the European Union, followed by Poland, and then Australia.

Thank you, Chair. The EU wishes to thank Special Rapporteur for his important work, the present report and its recommendations. Your report examines women's enjoyment of human rights and gender equality, highlighting how structural discrimination has increased, intersected with politically motivated repression since the 2022 fraudulent presidential election, and clearly indicates that discrimination against women and girls in Belarus is a structural and systematic issue. The Belarusian authorities have continued to systematically repress human rights and fundamental freedoms and target those perceived as critical of the authorities. The deterioration of civil and political rights has had profound gender-specific consequences. Women human rights defenders, journalists and media workers, lawyers, and civic activists have been subjected to intimidation and online harassment, arbitrary detention, gender-specific treatment, technologically facilitated gender-based violence, professional exclusion, economic pressure, and transnational repression designed to deter their public engagement. We urge the Belarusian authorities to immediately release all women and girls arbitrarily detained for peacefully exercising their human rights and all forms of transnational repression against women, including forced exile, the arbitrary invalidation of passports and other identity documents, and improve conditions of detention for women and preventing violence, including gender-based violence and ill-treatment. While taking note of the release of several hundreds of political prisoners, we remain deeply concerned by the continued politically motivated arrests and prosecutions in Belarus and abroad. and reiterate our call for the immediate and unconditional release and rehabilitation of all political prisoners. We continue to urge Belarusian authorities to stop their involvement in Russia’s unprovoked and unjustifiable war of aggression against Ukraine and to halt their instrumentalization of migrants and hybrid activities against its neighbors. Mr. Special Rapporteur, how can the international community help to rebuild civic space for independent women's organizations and women human rights defenders? What specific international steps are necessary to protect Belarusian women experiencing transnational repression? Thank you.

Thank you, European Union. I pass now to the Permanent Representative of Poland, followed by the Permanent Representative of Lithuania, then Australia, then Czechia. Poland, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Special Rapporteur, we thank you for your report that documents the continued deterioration of the human rights in Belarus, including the rights of women. We are deeply concerned about the situation in Belarus, where women, among others, face systematic discrimination as they try to be very active in the public life. Repressions in Belarus is an area where the regime makes no distinction between women and men. Women who stand up for fundamental freedoms are just likely to be labeled extremists or terrorists, threatened and persecuted. Taking note of the recent release of several hundred political prisoners, we call on Belarus to release all political prisoners, including women and mothers from the Polish minority. We also remain concerned of the legislative initiatives that may easily increase the numbers of activists in Belarusian prisons. Mr. Special Rapporteur, Poland thanks you for your work keeping high the situation of human rights in Belarus on the international agenda and reiterates its full support for your mandate. The question is how you assess the trajectory of the social conditions in Belarus, including position of women in the context of human rights. Thank you.

Thank you, Permanent Representative of Poland. I pass to the Permanent Representative of Lithuania, followed by Australia, Czechia, Ukraine, Latvia, and Liechtenstein. Lithuania, you have the floor.

Mr. Chair, I speak on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic States. We thank the Special Rapporteur for his report bringing attention to women's rights and gender equality. We remain deeply troubled by the deteriorating human rights situation in Belarus, the systematic eradication of civil society, politically motivated sentences, degrading conditions of detention, and the systematic use of torture, including sexual and gender-based violence. Independent media and civil society have been dismantled, while transnational repression increasingly targets Belorussians living abroad. Authorities deliberately maintain a cycle of releases and arrests, treating people as bargaining chips. The release of political prisoners must be unconditional and must not be accompanied by coercion, forced exile, or further punishment. Belarus actively supports Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, increasingly generates hybrid threats against its neighbors, including instrumentalization of migrants, and is complicit in the unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children. We reiterate our call on Belarus to end its involvement in the war and to stop this complicity. We note with concern that Belarusian authorities are abusing the so-called extremism legislation and instrumentalizing the country's criminal justice system to silence political opponents. The activity of independent trade unions has been targeted under this framework, and the same logic is now directed against human rights defenders, organizations, and educational institutions. Women human rights defenders, journalists, and political activists face risks of repression, gender discrimination, in the labor market remains widespread. Workplace sexual harassment is not criminalized. Women remain concentrated in lower-paid sectors, and discrimination is persistent in recruitment. In political and public life, women are specifically targeted for repression, including arbitrary detention, criminal prosecution, and state-supported smear campaigns, including transnational repression. Mr. Special Rapporteur, What concrete measures can the international community take to protect Belarusians in exile, particularly women, from transnational repression and to strengthen international cooperation in documenting violations and ensuring accountability? I thank you.

I thank the Permanent Representative of Lithuania. I pass to Australia, then Czechia, then Ukraine. Australia, you have the floor.

Thank you, Chair. Australia thanks the Special Rapporteur for his report. Australia remains deeply concerned by the human rights situation in Belarus. The scale of repression is alarming. It includes political and transnational repression, forced exile, institutionalised discrimination, intimidation, targeted reprisals, and arbitrary and inhumane detention. We are troubled by the targeting of women's rights advocates, LGBTQIA+ persons, independent voices, and human rights defenders, deepening discrimination and creating punishments impeding access to already constricted civil spaces. Belarus must end politically motivated prosecutions, repeal discriminatory laws, and release those detained for simply exercising their human rights. While Australia welcomes recent prisoner releases, these individual instances are not a substitute for systemic change. Australia continues to condemn the Belarusian government's complicity in the Russian Federation's invasion of Ukraine, including its involvement in the forcible transfer and deportation of Ukrainian children. We call on Belarus to immediately cease support for Russia's war. Belarus must comply with its international human rights obligations, cooperate fully with UN human rights mechanisms, and ensure accountability for violations. Australia stands with the Belarusian people and their aspirations for a free and democratic future. Special Rapporteur, what practical steps can the international community take to secure meaningful improvements to the rights of women and girls in Belarus? Thank you.

Thank you, Australia. I pass to Czechia, then Ukraine. Czechia, you have the floor.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Czech Republic thanks the Special Rapporteur for his comprehensive report and aligns itself with the statement by the European Union. We remain deeply concerned by the serious human rights situation in Belarus. The continued detention of political prisoners and the ongoing crackdown on independent voices demonstrate the authorities' persistent disregard for fundamental freedoms. We are particularly alarmed by the treatment of women political prisoners, restrictions on contact with their families, pressure on family members, and ongoing reprisals against Belarusians living in exile. The case of imprisoned journalist and mother Tsina Palinskaya illustrates the impact of repression on women and their families. Mr. Special Rapporteur, what additional measures could the international community take to support women political prisoners and protect their families, including children, from intimidation and other forms of pressure by the Belarusian authorities? On this note, we call on the Belarusian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners and cease all forms of intimidation and pressure against their families. Thank you.

Thank you, Czechia. I pass to Ukraine, followed by Latvia and then Liechtenstein. Ukraine, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Ukraine thanks the Special Rapporteur for his report. Its findings that structural discrimination against women increasingly intersects with political repression in Belarus is very concerning. Women activists, journalists, and human rights defenders face arbitrary detention and different forms of violence. Independent organizations are dismantled. Women in exile and their families face transitional repression. We call for the release of all those arbitrarily detained and the end to reprisals and accountability for violations. Meanwhile, Belarus continues enabling Russian aggression. The long-standing threat of renewed Russian attacks from its territory remains a serious security concern for Ukraine. Belarus has reactivated signal relay systems supporting Russian drone attacks against my country, including our western regions. These systems previously ceased operating following Ukraine's calls in June. Their renewed use demonstrates continued assistance to Russian war effort. Such assistance enables attacks that kill civilians and strip millions of electricity, heating, and water. Belarus is helping Russia weaponize winter, leaving families in freezing homes and children without warmth of safety. We urge Belarus to immediately cease all assistance enabling Russian aggression. International scrutiny is critical. We ask the Special Rapporteur to pay particular attention in his future reportings to Belarus’ role in facilitating attacks on Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure and their consequences for civilian lives. Thank you.

Thank you, Ukraine. I pass to Latvia, then Liechtenstein. Latvia, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Latvia aligns itself with the statement delivered by the European Union. We thank the Special Rapporteur for his important work and the report. The report clearly demonstrates the extent of human rights violations against women in Belarus. It documents discrimination in employment, restrictions on civic space, gender-based violence, and serious gender-specific violations against women in detention, particularly those imprisoned on politically motivated charges. The report also shows that Belarus human rights violations extend beyond its borders. The regime engages in various forms of transnational repression, against women, including forced exile, the arbitrary invalidation of identity documents, reprisals against relatives, and obstacles to family reunification. Belarus' actions of an international nature affect not only its own citizens, but also thousands of migrants. The Lukashenko's regime exploits vulnerable people from Africa, the Middle East, and Asia by luring them to Belarus and facilitating their dangerous journeys towards the EU's external border. This year alone, Latvia has prevented more than 12,000 illegal border crossing attempts. Belarus does this to exert political and physical pressure on its neighboring states and the EU. Such actions openly disregard international human rights standards and expose people to exploitation, trafficking, and smuggling. We condemn in the strongest possible terms this instrumentalization of migrants. Special Rapporteur, what concrete actions could the international community take to document violations of women’s rights in Belarus and ensure accountability for these crimes? I thank you.

Thank you, Latvia. I pass to Liechtenstein and Venezuela, Germany, Slovenia, Ireland, and finally United Kingdom. Liechtenstein, you have the floor.

We thank the Special Rapporteur for his latest report, which sheds important light on the intersection between structural gender-based discrimination and political repression. Despite its role in the aggression against Ukraine and post-election violence, international attention paid to Belarus has decreased in recent years. Liechtenstein supports efforts towards continued international scrutiny and monitoring of the human rights situation in Belarus, including its weaponization of migratory flows. My delegation also remains alarmed by the continuing imprisonment of Belarussians for peaceful exercise of fundamental freedoms and the fact that the human rights violations in detention remain widespread. Could you please elaborate on what Member States can do to support these political prisoners? I thank you.

Thank you, Liechtenstein. I pass to Venezuela, then Germany. Venezuela, you have the floor.

Mr. Chair, the promotion and protection of all human rights require a true commitment to respectful dialogue, international cooperation, and full respect for sovereign equality, as well as for political independence, non-interference in internal affairs, and the self-determination of peoples. From this position of principle, Venezuela reiterates its call to end practices that promote an approach to human rights that is based on trampling on the principles of objectivity, impartiality, transparency, and non-selectivity, and that only result in promoting spaces of confrontation while weakening trust among states and undermining the credibility of the United Nations human rights system, in particular when they contemplate mechanisms that do not have the consent of the states concerned. In that regard, we reaffirmed the vital role of the UPR as a universal mechanism for dialogue among equals, with the direct participation of national authorities. We also recognized the contribution of the treaty bodies in the framework of the obligations shouldered by each state, and of technical assistance and capacity building, in agreement with the countries concerned and in accordance with their national priorities. Venezuela reiterates that dialogue and cooperation must prevail over confrontation and double standards. The protection of human rights means that we must strengthen multilateralism and preserve the spirit of mutual respect which must guide the work of this Organization, on the basis of an approach that promotes the support for State efforts to overcome their challenges through cooperation and technical assistance. Lastly, Venezuela encourages the United Nations to support the efforts of each State to find solutions based on their own national situations, to the benefit of their entire population. We reaffirm our readiness to contribute to a constructive dialogue that allows us to make progress with full respect for sovereignty and the promotion and enjoyment of all human rights without exclusion or politicization. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Venezuela. I pass to Germany, then Slovenia. Germany, you have the floor.

Chair, Germany aligns itself with the European Union statement. We thank the Special Rapporteur for his vital work documenting the dire human rights situation in Belarus and for his present report on gender equality and women's rights. Germany is deeply concerned about his reports of structural and systematic discrimination against women in Belarus, as well as discrimination and violence against LGBTIQ persons. We urge Belarus to address gender-based violence, including by closing gaping legislative gaps, such as on domestic violence, marital rape, alongside improving access to justice for survivors. Germany is especially alarmed that the increasing encroachment on civil and political rights has had gender-specific consequences, including resulting in intersectional discrimination of women human rights defenders, journalists, lawyers, trade unionists, educators, cultural workers, and activists. Belarus must immediately stop all forms of repression, including arbitrary detention, professional exclusion, threats against family members and online harassment, as well as transnational repression. Mr. Special Rapporteur, what measures could Belarus prioritize in order to effectively implement the UPR recommendations it has agreed to support relating to women’s rights and gender equality? How can the international community best provide targeted support for women, human rights defenders, journalists, political activists and other civil society actors suffering repression by Belarus in and outside its borders. Thank you.

Thank you, Germany. I pass to Slovenia, Ireland, then United Kingdom. Slovenia, you have the floor.

Mr. Chair, Slovenia aligns itself with the EU statement. We thank the Special Rapporteur for his report and welcome its particular focus on the situation of women in Belarus. We assure our resolute support for his work and his mandate. Slovenia remains appalled by the ongoing repression by the Belarusian authorities, where widespread and systematic violations of human rights remain a daily occurrence. Mr. Special Rapporteur, your report confirms that women played an important role in the peaceful protest movement following the 2020 elections. Since then, women participating in political and public life have faced not only long-standing gender inequalities, but are increasingly facing politically motivated repressions. The dire situation of many Belarusian women is just another evidence of pattern of Belarusian regime systematic oppression against its own people. According to the Human Rights Center Viasna, as of end of September 2026, 876 political prisoners, including 113 women, were being held in detention facilities in Belarus. We note early release of approximately 400 political prisoners in 2026. However, new detentions continue to take place daily, while those released often remain subject to ongoing pressure, surveillance, and other restrictions in their everyday lives. We condemn any form of transnational repression of Belarusian regime against its citizens abroad. particularly acts of intimidation, harassment, and threats. Slovenia urges the Belarusian authorities to cease all forms of domestic and transnational repression, to immediately and unconditionally release and fully rehabilitate all arbitrarily detained, and provide effective access to truth, justice, and reparations. We strongly urge Belarus to respect human rights of all its citizens and to create space for democratic dialogue. Finally, we once again call on Belarus to stop supporting Russia's brutal war of aggression against Ukraine, including by ensuring the safe and immediate return of all unlawfully deported and transferred Ukrainian children. Thank you.

Thank you, Slovenia. I pass to Ireland.

Thank you, Chair. Ireland aligns itself with the EU statement and thanks the Special Rapporteur for his report. We welcome the report's focus on the gender-specific consequences of the continued dismantling of independence of the society in Belarus since the fraudulent 2020 presidential election. Ireland is deeply concerned by the reported discrimination in employment and in public life, by gender-based violence, restrictions on civic participation, and the treatment of women detained on politically motivated charges. We are also troubled by reports of gender-specific violations in detention and efforts to intimidate and silence Belarusian women in exile. The Belarusian authorities continue to repress fundamental freedoms and target those perceived as critical of the regime. Women, human rights defenders, journalists, lawyers, and civic activists face intimidation, online harassment, arbitrary detention, professional exclusion, economic pressure, and transnational repression. The increasing intersection of politically motivated repression against women with structural discrimination is particularly worrying. Ireland reiterates its call for the release of all those arbitrarily detained in Belarus for peacefully exercising their human rights, for an end to transnational repression, and for accountability for violations. We welcome releases of political prisoners, but note with concern that many remain unjustly imprisoned. Ireland also condemns Belarus’s complicity in Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. Chair, how can the – and Special Rapporteur, how can the international community support Belarusian women facing repression at home and abroad? And how can states help to ensure accountability for cases of arbitrary detention and gender-based violence in Belarus? Thank you.

Thank you, Ireland. And the last intervention from the floor is from the United Kingdom. You have the floor.

Special Rapporteur, the United Kingdom thanks you for your continued vital work documenting the human rights situation in Belarus. We remain deeply concerned by the continuing repression of civil society, independent media, and political opposition, and the use of politically motivated prosecutions to silence dissent. We welcome the release of political prisoners over the past year, but many more remain unjustly detained. while those released can continue to face restrictions on their rights and in some cases are forced into exile. We call for the immediate and unconditional release and rehabilitation of all those unjustly detained. We also remain deeply concerned by the continued application of the death penalty and reiterate our call on Belarus to introduce a moratorium as a first step towards abolition. The United Kingdom continues to stand with Belarusian people and support efforts to ensure accountability for human rights violations. Special Rapporteur, what should the international community prioritize so that recent prisoner releases are followed by meaningful and lasting improvements in human rights in Belarus? Thank you.

Thank you, United Kingdom. I now pass back to the Special Rapporteur to respond to those questions and comments. Special Rapporteur, you have the floor.

Thank you very much. Thank you specifically also for the voices of support for the mandate. I think it’s quite important to continue this mandate, which has existed for quite some time, but the situation has only gotten worse over the years, so it’s an uphill battle. I wanted to respond to one thing that, yes, of course, repression affects everyone in Belarus regardless of their gender, but women face specific issues, I think, that I wanted to highlight in the report, the specific kind of humiliating, degrading treatment they face in detention because they're women, the specific restrictions, professional restrictions that they face because they're women, the disproportionate impact on women of the destruction of civic space and independent trade unions because of women's position in the economy. And I think the overall trend is a negative one. Yes, you had the one small positive thing that has taken place in recent years regarding women is the number of occupations banned for women ostensibly for reproductive health reasons has decreased. but it's still quite a large number. Other than that, there's not a lot of good news. The practical steps -- a number of delegations asked what practical steps can be taken to assist political prisoners. I think one thing is to continue to raise this issue on a systematic basis with any Belarusian authorities that you encounter. The Right now, there's a petition signed by all the most prominent released political prisoners urging giving this issue priority. It is getting more difficult to do because information is harder to come by because of the repressive steps taken by Belarus. The political prisoners aren't as well known as they used to be because many of the most prominent people have been released, so it's harder to get attention for those who have been recently detained and prosecuted and arrested on various trumped-up charges. So I think that the key thing now is to get to know the new political prisoners, to raise this issue systematically, and to give these people the attention they deserve. Regarding accountability, again, I think the efforts to document the human rights violations are key. for accountability in the future. My colleagues, the Group of Independent Experts on Belarus, this is their key focus. So those interested in accountability, I would recommend having a look at the work of the Group of Independent Experts, as well as the International Accountability Platform for Belarus, an NGO effort, also looking at accountability issues. Of course, just as in the previous interventions by my colleagues working on Ukraine said, yes, universal jurisdiction and the various multilateral efforts, especially the ICC and the ICJ. At the end of my intervention, you noticed that I urged states to defend the ICC. The ICC is currently examining a case concerning Belarus and international crimes. So supporting the ICC against the sanctions threatened by the U.S., I think, would be an important step forward. Regarding what can be done for exiles, I think that the transnational repression faced by exiles is an issue that is taking place in the jurisdiction of other states, in Poland, in Lithuania, and elsewhere. So it is your responsibility, wherever this transnational repression takes place, to do your best to combat it. First of all, to deal with the consequences on those who are targets, to provide them psychological and material support, stable legal status, to not cooperate in extraditing people or expelling people if they face a well-founded risk of persecution back in Belarus. But also, to link up your foreign intelligence and your domestic security apparatuses to combat this threat, which is taking place – the threats, the harassment, the attacks, the cyberattacks, the intimidation. They’re taking place on the soil of other countries outside of Belarus, and I think they deserve priority attention. And this also should be firmly raised with the Belarusian authorities and urging them to stop. I want to respond to the Venezuelan intervention, talking about confrontation, the politicization, no consent, dialogue, and so on. Both I and my predecessors have sought dialogue with the Belarusian authorities, but the Belarusian authorities do not recognize this mandate. They do not cooperate. They do not give access. and they don’t reply to many of the communications I sent. I am open to dialogue. It is the Belarusian authorities which are not engaging in this dialogue. And this is an issue that affects not only Belarus internally, but it affects a lot of the countries neighboring Belarus. A number of the interventions from the floor mentioned, not only do you have mass repression within Belarus leading to the expulsion of people from Belarus or their flight to avoid repression, which affects other countries, not just Belarus. It affects the receiving countries. We have the facilitation of, I call it state-sponsored human trafficking at the borders with Poland, Latvia, and Lithuania, which affects these countries, forces them to spend huge amounts of resources to protect their borders, but also the complicity of Belarus in the war in Ukraine, which we heard about so much. So this is not only something that’s going on within Belarus. It has consequences throughout the regions. If I were to prioritize one thing, other than, of course, releasing political prisoners and halting the repression of new people, I would say addressing ill-treatment in places of detention. And here, the recipe is clear. You have to have fewer people in detention. You have to have independent monitoring mechanisms, both within the country and externally, looking at conditions in detention. And you have to prosecute those who are engaging in ill-treatment in prison. And, of course, investing in better conditions and better health care and better psychological care in these prisons. But there are so many people in these prisons who shouldn't be there. The priority should be, first of all, to release these people who should not be in prison at all. I thank you very much for your attention. I just wanted to highlight several things that are coming up on my agenda. I will be meeting, having a series of consultations in Warsaw. at the end of November. Then I will be going to Brussels to engage with colleagues from European institutions at the beginning of December. My next report will focus on the human rights of children and youth. To address the issue of balance, I have looked at human rights in labor and economy. I have looked at cultural rights. I have looked at women's rights. I've looked at human rights in the context of elections, and now I want to focus in on children and youth. So I would say that I'm trying to cover the full spectrum of human rights: civil, political, economic, social, and cultural. I thank you very much for your attention and your support. We have a lot of work to do with Belarus.

Thank you very much indeed, Special Rapporteur. That brings to an end our consideration of the situation of human rights in Belarus. And I am now waiting for our special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, who I expect will join us very shortly, but we'll just hold for one moment. Thank you. It's now my special pleasure to welcome the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, Ms. Marianna Kotsarova. You're very welcome. Once the Special Rapporteur has made her remarks, there will be an opportunity to intervene from the floor in the usual way. I invite colleagues to press their microphone, and we will determine the amount of time each delegation has to speak on the basis of the number of speakers. I now pass the floor to the Special Rapporteur. You're welcome. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Mr. Chair, I see there are improvements. There is water for the speakers, which is really welcomed. Ambassador Larson, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, representatives of civil society, it is my honor to present to this assembly my report on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation called "Traitors to the Motherland: The Strategy of Fear and Punishment of the Russian Federation to Erase Dissent at Home and Abroad." The title is not mine; it is the language of the Russian state. applied to its own citizens, to human rights defenders, journalists, lawyers, women activists, indigenous peoples, LGBT persons, religious and national minorities, and to anyone who opposes the war against Ukraine. My central finding is that the rule of fear I have documented in previous reports has hardened into an ordinary mode of governance And it has become militarized and transnational. The state sustains its authoritarian rule by manufacturing enemies. Repression at home has dismantled the constraints on aggression abroad. The war against Ukraine now justifies deeper repression and impunity at home. Repression at home and aggression abroad are one policy. Transnational repression is where the two meet. Last month, I presented to the Human Rights Council in Geneva the first United Nations report on Russia's transnational repression. Nowhere is safe, exporting the rule of fear beyond borders. Since the full scale invasion of Ukraine, between 650,000 and 900,000 people have left Russia. As civil society in exile grows, so does the machinery to pursue it. Sentences in absentia are up from four in '22 to 157 last year. At least nine departments of the Federal Security Service of Russia are involved. Abuse of Interpol red notices, extradition requests, terrorist and extremist listings copied unverified into the compliance databases of foreign banks and financial institutions And the law of 4 August inflicting civic death, including 14 different restrictions from frozen assets to canceled passports on critics abroad and relatives at home held hostage. For direct physical attacks, the Russian Federation ranks third among 10 states responsible over the past decade for over 70% of documented incidents worldwide. Transnational repression is the continuation beyond Russia's borders of the same structural, state-sponsored system of repression I have documented at home: deliberate, institutionalized, and adaptive. It must be stopped. Mr. Chair, the numbers describe a system, not a series of incidents. By early September 26, 4,968 people were subject to politically motivated criminal prosecution, 2,178 of them in detention. And these are conservative figures. The average sentence in such cases has risen from six years and seven months in '21 to 11 years today. The registers keep growing. The foreign agent list holds 1,262 entries. 415 organizations are designated undesirable, up from 245 a year ago. In April, the Supreme Court declared Memorial the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, extremist. In June, it did the same to Ovede Info. The Anti-Corruption Foundation and the Anti-War Committee of Russia are now designated terrorist organizations, exposing supporters, donors, and readers to prosecution. Charges of treason and espionage reached a record, 468 convictions in 25, some 30% above the previous year, with no acquittals and a median sentence of 15 years. Around a third of those prosecuted were Ukrainian citizens. One in six were women. Those arrested included a 17-year-old boy and an 80-year-old scientist. In July, a journalist received 12 years for a money transfer to relatives in Ukraine. Excellencies, I ask you to look closely at what is being done to children. From this month, the share of school teaching time given to basic military training has risen from about 20% to 50. Almost 1,100 people, while still children, have been placed on the register of terrorists and extremists, more than 95% since February 22. Roughly one in 12 new entries concerns a child, and the restrictions follow that child into adulthood. Criminal responsibility for terrorism offenses now begins at age 14. Children are pushed towards military recruitment at one end and into criminal courts at the other. Recruitment is itself coercive. Conscription became year-round in January and is digitally enforced. Conscripts report being beaten into signing military contracts. Servicemen who refuse to fight are held in pits, basements, and other unofficial sites, at least 29 documented by July, where they're tortured to force them back into combat. Criminal liability can be extinguished by signing a contract, and in roughly nine out of 10 judgments reviewed, Courts treated combat service in the war against Ukraine as a mitigating factor. Mr. Chair, and this concerns this Assembly directly. Debt recruitment now reaches across borders through human trafficking. Nationals of more than 45 countries in Africa, in South and Central Asia, in Latin America, have been drawn in by false offers of work, study, or citizenship. The pattern recurs: a promise of civilian work, documents confiscated on arrival, a contract in Russian, a language the recruit cannot read, signed under threat or torture, then the front line. And then, silence. In February, Kenya's National Assembly was told that more than a thousand Kenyans had been recruited. In August, Peru identified 459 of its nationals, 11 killed, 114 missing. Bangladesh reported 30 workers trafficked and forced to fight. A Russian commander told one of them, "Your agent sent you here. We bought you." Many of the states whose citizens are trafficked into this war are represented in this room. Their nationals may face prosecution as mercenaries on return. They're victims of human trafficking and should be treated as such. I will continue with the rest of my presentation in the second part, in the concluding remarks. Thank you.

Thank you, Special Rapporteur. I now open the floor to interventions from the floor. We have a long list of speakers, and so we will allocate 1.5 minutes per intervention. And I start with Australia, Cuba, Sweden, Islamic Republic of Iran, Canada, Poland, Montenegro, and European Union. Australia, you have the floor.

Thank you, Chair. Australia thanks the Special Rapporteur for her report. Australia remains gravely concerned by the deteriorating human rights situation in Russia. Russian authorities are using legislation to criminalise legitimate dissent, arbitrarily detain opposition figures and silence independent voices, punishing people for exercising their fundamental rights and freedoms. We are particularly troubled by Russia's systematic and escalating transnational repression aimed at silencing its critics. Recent legislation targeting Russian citizens abroad and misuse of international law enforcement mechanisms is a clear attempt to punish those who oppose the government or speak out against Russia's war against Ukraine. Australia remains deeply troubled by Russia's ongoing persecution of minority groups, including religious and national minorities, indigenous peoples, and LGBTQI+ people? Special Rapporteur, how can states better protect Russia's civil society, journalists, and human rights defenders from Russian state repression at home and abroad? Thank you.

Thank you, Australia. I pass to Cuba, then Sweden. Cuba, you have the floor.

Chair, the Group of Friends in Defence of the United Nations Charter believes that the presentation of resolutions on specific countries without the consent of the affected states not only runs counter to the principles of universality, impartiality, objectivity, non-selectivity, and other principles, but also the very spirit of the United Nations Charter. We are seeing a very politicized exercise that has nothing to do with the exercise of human rights. We therefore firmly reject any any double standards when it comes to the promotion and protection of human rights. We express our profound concern over the ongoing proliferation of mechanisms that seek to assess the human rights situations in certain countries, and that in most cases lack the participation of the State affected and are based on secondary sources that often lack credibility. This undermines the objectivity of these reports and undermines the very legibility, the very credibility of our organization. We must be very careful with reports issued on behalf of our organizations. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Cuba. I pass the floor to Sweden, followed by Islamic Republic of Iran. Sweden, you have the floor.

Thank you, Chair. I'm delivering this statement on behalf of the Nordic and Baltic countries. Repression in Russia is increasing at an alarming rate. As the Special Rapporteur highlights, we continue to see tightening repression, consolidation of authoritarian control, and militarization of society. Repression is described as widespread, systematic, and part of government strategy. Domestic repression feeds external aggression. As the Special Rapporteur finds, and as you just mentioned, repression at home has dismantled the constraints on aggression abroad. In turn, the war against Ukraine is now used to justify deeper repression at home. The Russian Federation must respect its obligations under international human rights law and cooperate with all UN human rights mechanisms, including the Special Rapporteur. The continued denial of unhindered access and refusal to implement recommendations from earlier reports is unacceptable. We also urge the Russian Federation to immediately and unconditionally release the thousands who remain arbitrarily detained, including deported and unlawfully transferred Ukrainian civilians, among them children, in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and within Russia. Special Rapporteur, which issues do you consider most urgent during your extended mandate? Thank you.

Thank you, Sweden. The next speakers are Islamic Republic of Iran, Canada, Poland, Montenegro, European Union, Czechia, and Kingdom of the Netherlands. Islamic Republic of Iran, you have the floor.

Affirms that the promotion and protection of human rights must rest upon the principles of universality, objectivity, non-selectivity, impartiality and non-politicization. The country-specific mandate on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation is incompatible with these principles. It reflects a selective and politicized approach, applies double standards, and is driven by political considerations rather than a genuine and balanced commitment to human rights. Such mandates interfere in the internal affairs of sovereign states, undermine constructive cooperation, and prove counterproductive. The Islamic Republic of Iran therefore does not support the continuation of this mandate and calls for its discontinuation. Convening such meetings and creating these mechanisms based on geopolitical objectives certainly brings no added value to the promotion and protection of human rights and is merely a tool for achieving political goals. Non-interference in the internal affairs of countries and respect for the national sovereignty of States are principles that must be considered when examining any human rights issue. Russia is a country that has always acted responsibly on human rights matters, and this should not be overlooked. Thank you.

Thank you, Iran. I pass to Canada, followed by Poland. Canada, you have the floor.

Thank you. Canada thanks the Special Rapporteur for her report and expresses full support in her mandate. Canada condemns Russia’s continued disregard for the fundamental rights of its citizens, including freedom of expression, freedom of peaceful assembly, and the right to participate in public affairs. Canada also condemns the expanded use of national security legislation to suppress critics at home and abroad. Russia’s ongoing violations of human rights within its borders In the occupied territories of Ukraine and further abroad, continue to raise grave concerns. Repression at its extraterritorial reach are increasingly codified and institutionalized as a system of governance and control. We remain alarmed by the instrumentalization of wartime security policy towards the persecution of marginalized groups, including religious minorities, ethnic and national minorities, indigenous peoples, and LGBTQI+ persons and advocates, as well as political activists. We call on Russia to end its repression of civil society, cease the use of restrictive laws and practices to silence dissent both domestically and abroad, and uphold its international human rights obligations. Madame Special Rapporteur, given the serious abuses perpetrated by the Russian State, what concrete measures do you recommend to ensure that the Russian Federation is held accountable for its conduct? Thank you, Chair.

Thank you, Canada. I pass the floor to Poland. You have the floor.

Thank you, Chair. Poland aligns itself with the EU statement to be delivered. Madam Special Rapporteur, the Russian top leader once joked that Russia's borders do not end anywhere. What was presented as a joke has become a grim description of Russia's actions and its imperialistic doctrine. Russia denies its neighbors the right to determine their own future. The right to life has been constantly damaged by Russian bullets, bombs and missiles in Ukraine. Disregard for human life is not confined to Russia's war of aggression. It corresponds with the Kremlin's domestic violation of human rights in the society, as well as its national armed forces. The no-border doctrines constitute the context of Russia's transnational repressions very well documented in the report. National security, counter-terrorism, and fighting the extremists has served as a false excuse for persecution of Russian citizens residing in and outside the country. We are especially concerned by Russia's use of proxies to carry out repressions beyond its border. Outsourcing intimidation and persecution do not absolve Russia's state of responsibility. The international community has to remain vigilant and cooperate closely to confront this practice. States must ensure that their territories do not become hunting grounds for authoritarian regimes. Please accept the Special Rapporteur's appreciation of your work under exceptionally difficult circumstances. Poland fully supports your extended mandate. Thank you.

Thank you, Poland. I pass to Montenegro, followed by European Union. Montenegro.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Montenegro thanks Special Rapporteur Katsarova for her report and reaffirms its full support for her mandate. We are deeply concerned by the continued deterioration of the human rights situation in the Russian Federation, especially the systematic repression of civil society, human rights defenders, independent journalists, and political opposition. The findings of the report are deeply alarming. The increased use of restrictive legislation to silence dissent, widespread reports of torture and ill-treatment, and the persecution of those opposing Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine represent serious violations of fundamental human rights. We are particularly concerned that since the outset, the Special Rapporteur has not been granted access to the Russian Federation. We call on the Russian authorities to engage constructively with the mandate and grant full and unhindered access to the country. Madam Special Rapporteur, in the absence of cooperation from the Russian authorities, how can the international community most effectively support your mandate and ensure continued independent monitoring and accountability for human rights violations? Thank you.

Thank you, Montenegro. I pass to the European Union, followed by Czechia.

Thank you. The UN and its Member States welcome the extension of the Special Rapporteur's mandate and thank her for the report. The EU continues to be alarmed by the report's findings and condemns Russia's systematic and intensifying human rights violations. We call on Russia to respect its obligations under international human rights law and international humanitarian law. The EU continues to call for an end of the grave misuse of legal and administrative procedures, surveillance, and digital operations as tools for repression against civil society, independent media, journalists, human rights defenders, lawyers, LGBTI persons, indigenous peoples, minorities, the democratic opposition, and other critical voices. Russia must immediately and unconditionally release and rehabilitate all arbitrary detained persons. Russia must end the widespread and systemic torture, stop the denial of medical care and attention, enforced disappearances, and sexual and gender-based violence. Russia's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine and the growing repression within Russia are inextricably linked. Those responsible must be held accountable. Madam Special Rapporteur, what concrete measures can international organizations and member states take to counter Russia's domestic and transnational repression, particularly to protect civil society and human rights defenders? I thank you, Chair.

I thank the representative of the European Union, and I will give the floor next to the representative of Czechia.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Czech Republic aligns itself with the statement by the European Union and thanks the Special Rapporteur for her important work. As your report demonstrates, in Russia, peaceful assembly is criminalized, independent voices are silenced, access to information is restricted, and education is increasingly shaped by militarization rather than independent thought. We are particularly concerned by the growing number of politically motivated prosecutions, the widespread use of torture, and the continued erosion of fair trial guarantees and judicial independence. The systematic erosion of fundamental rights in the country is inseparable from its aggression against Ukraine. We call on Russia to cease political persecution, immediately release all political prisoners and all those arbitrarily detained, including Alexey Gorinov, Anna Bazhutova, and Lyudmila Razumova. Madam Rapporteur, how can the international community more effectively protect human rights defenders, journalists, lawyers, and anti-war activists facing transnational repression by Russia? Thank you.

I thank the representative of Czechia. I'll give the floor now to the representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

her report and for her extensive work. The report portrays a grave picture, a deepening fusion of the Russian Federation's war of aggression against Ukraine with escalating repression at home. The rule of fear has now become the ordinary mode of governance. Repression has not only become institutionalized, but is also increasingly militarized. The Netherlands would like to stress two points. First, we condemn the weaponization of law and institutions against peaceful dissent. We urge the Russian Federation to immediately rescind its politically motivated designations and to end the misuse of foreign agent, undesirable, and extremism legislation against individuals and organizations peacefully exercising their fundamental rights, including the right to participate in free and fair elections. We furthermore call upon the Russian Federation to release the more than 2,000 persons who have been arbitrarily detained. Second, the Netherlands is deeply concerned about the impunity that is illustrated by widespread and somatic torture, by gender-based killings, and by international crimes against Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war. Russia must immediately halt these practices and be held accountable. Madam Special Rapporteur, given the widespread deterioration of judicial and fair trial safeguards, what can the international community do to most effectively support accountability and protection for victims of this repression in the Russian Federation? Thank you.

I thank the representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. I will now give the floor to the representative of Ukraine, followed by Bulgaria and Nicaragua. Ukraine, you have the floor. Microphone for Ukraine.

Madam Chair, Ukraine thanks Special Rapporteur. Her report paints a grim picture of a country where repression has become a normal mode of governance. Russia's entire state machinery is increasingly geared towards sustaining aggression with no intention of ending this war. Extreme nationalism, a culture for the leader, glorification of war, obsession with historical grievances, suppression of dissent, indoctrination, persecution of perceived enemies. These are textbook characteristics of fascism, and Russia has effectively transformed itself into a modern version of a fascist state, increasingly known as Russism. One of its particularly cynical features is obsession with finding imaginary Nazis everywhere but at home. Russia invokes the fight against Nazism while reproducing its most disturbing practices, and it used the fabricated pretext of denazification to justify its aggression against Ukraine. Madam Chair, we particularly appreciate the Special Rapporteur's attention to Russia's machinery of torture in her report, which also targets Ukrainian civilian detainees and prisoners of war. And in this regard, we would welcome her views on what further collective measures can be taken by Member States to confront this. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Ukraine. I'll now give the floor to the representative of Bulgaria.

Thank you, Chair. Bulgaria aligns with the European Union's statement. We thank the Special Rapporteur and reaffirm our full support for her mandate. We remain deeply concerned by the repression of civil society, independent media, and anti-war voices in Russia, including through the abusive foreign agent and extremism laws, as well as arbitrary detention and torture. We are particularly alarmed by the reports of torture and ill-treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians, politically motivated prosecutions, and impunity. We also condemn the persecution of LGBT persons, indigenous rights defenders, and Orthodox clergy opposing the war. We urge Russia to end these violations, investigate torture allegations, release political prisoners and unlawfully detained Ukrainian civilians, as well as to ensure accountability. Madam Special Rapporteur, what measures are most urgently needed to strengthen accountability for torture and other serious human rights violations, particularly against Ukrainian detainees? I thank you.

I thank the representative of Bulgaria. I'll give the floor now to the representative of Nicaragua, to be followed by Eritrea, Burundi, and Latvia. Nicaragua, you have the floor.

Madam.

Chair, Nicaragua categorically rejects the policy of instrumentalizing the Human Rights Council and expresses its solidarity with the Russian Federation. in the face of this new attempt to instrumentalize rights for political ends. We reiterate our rejection of the so-called special procedures who selectively and partially take the functions of sovereign courts. This lacks sovereignty of objectivity and respect for sovereignty. We reject the policy of imposing procedures without the consent of the country. Human rights must be promoted through genuine dialogue, cooperation, mutual respect, and respect for sovereignty of states. Thank you very much.

I thank the representative of Nicaragua. I'll give the floor now to the representative of Eritrea.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Eritrea firmly believes that the consideration of human rights issues must be guided by the fundamental, foundational principles of universality, objectivity, impartiality, non-selectivity, and non-politicization, while fully respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the independent political and development paths of sovereign.

States.

Disregarding those vital principles And proceeding without the consent of the concerned states, establishing country-specific mandates will only serve as a pretext for political pressure against a sovereign state. Approaches that assess states through standards selectively defined by others will lead us.

Away from genuine cooperation and from advancing the promotion and the protection of human rights.

The ICJ therefore wishes to reiterate its principle rejection of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation. We believe that the Universal Periodic Review is the most inclusive and constructive platform for enhancing international cooperation and fostering genuine dialogue on human rights issues. In this regard, we welcome Russia's consistent and active participation in the UPR mechanism. I thank you, Madam Chair.

I thank the representative of Eritrea. I'll give the floor next to the representative of Burundi, to be followed by Latvia, Germany, and Switzerland. Bharun, do you have the floor?

Thank you, Madam Chair. First of all, I'd like to say that this declaration also applies to Ukraine. Madam Chair, my delegation reaffirms its commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights, with full respect for the sovereignty and the principle of non-interference. However, we deplore the fact that certain reports of special procedures have moved away from their initial objectives to become instruments of political pressure based on doubtful, dubious sources. Madam Chair, human rights must remain based on impartiality and non-politicization. We firmly reject the abusive use of these mechanisms, which stigmatize or interfere in internal affairs without taking account of national situations or progress made on the ground. Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

I thank the representative of Burundi. I'll give the floor next to the representative of Latvia.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Let me thank the Special Rapporteur for the report. Madam Special Rapporteur, given Russia's ever-increasing reprisals against those who engage with UN mechanisms, what steps can the international community take to ensure that violations are properly documented and perpetrators are held accountable? Your report documents that human rights violations in Russia are systemic and a sign of consolidation of authoritarian control. The Russian authorities are systematically dismantling fundamental freedoms and criminalizing dissent. The justice system is a tool for political repression. Russia’s torture, including rape and sexual violence against Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilian detainees, is pervasive. Once again, we call on Russia to immediately cease the heinous violations and abuses of international law at home and abroad. We call on Russia to provide access and cooperate with the UN system and international monitors, instead of spreading blatant lies and disinformation. Colleagues, we echo the Special Rapporteur’s call for the use of continued diplomatic pressure on Russia in response to the violations. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Latvia. I'll give the floor now to the representative of Germany.

Thank you, madam Chair. Germany aligns itself with the EU statement.

We thank the Special Rapporteur for a comprehensive report and her continued work documenting the deteriorating human rights situation in the Russian Federation. We are deeply concerned by the institutionalization of repression and its increasingly military character. reflected by the growing militarization of public policy and especially education.

Germany is alarmed by the expansion of military indoctrination of children.

We deplore the Russian authorities' systematic silencing of dissent and anti-war expression, which has increased especially since the beginning of Russia's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. Germany condemns Russia's repression, including transnational repression.

Targeting, among others, human rights defenders, journalists, political opponents, and diaspora communities.

As a result, civic space is crushed even further, both within Russia and beyond its borders.

We urge Russia to immediately end torture.

Ill-treatment, and other violations against Ukrainian detainees and to grant full, independent, and international access to all places of detention.

Madam Special Rapporteur, What further steps should Member States take to protect human rights defenders?

How can the international community help preserve and foster space for independent civil society? Thank you.

I thank the representative of Germany. I'll give the floor next to the representative of Switzerland, to be followed by Belarus, Turkmenistan, and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Switzerland, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I would like to thank the Special Rapporteur for her report. Madam Special Rapporteur, how can the international community strengthen the fight against impunity related to arbitrary detention and torture in the Russian Federation? We are deeply concerned about the serious and ongoing deterioration of the human rights situation in the Russian Federation. The report highlights the ways in which restrictions on freedoms within the country and the war being waged against Ukraine are mutually reinforcing. According to the report, the sentences handed down in politically motivated cases are becoming harsher, whilst fair trial guarantees are being eroded. This trend points to a particularly alarming erosion of the rule of law. The use of legislation related to national security, extremism and terrorism undermines freedom of expression. Switzerland calls upon the Russian Federation to release all those who have been arbitrarily detained, in particular Ukrainian civilians who have been arbitrarily deprived of their liberty, and to ensure the rights to a defence. Switzerland is also alarmed by the widespread use of torture and ill-treatment, as well as by persistent impunity. We call upon the Russian Federation to conduct prompt, independent and effective investigations into allegations of torture and deaths in custody, to bring those responsible to justice, and to guarantee effective remedies for victims. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Switzerland. I'll give the floor next to the representative of Belarus.

Thank you, Chair. Distinguished colleagues, we regret to note the non-objective approach used in the report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of the human rights in the Russian Federation. The document is devoted exclusively to criticizing the Russian authorities while deliberately ignoring the factual and confirmed negative impact of externally imposed unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights by Russian citizens. Furthermore, we strongly condemn the report's recommendation to expand sanctions. Such approaches have nothing to do with the principles of universality, impartiality, objectivity, and non-selectivity upon which the entire human rights system is founded. We also denounce the practice of using double standards in the report. The report repeatedly criticizes violations of Ukrainians' rights by Russia, yet it ignores Ukrainian attacks on civilians, including in Belarus, as well as the forced mobilization of the population in Ukraine. Madam Special Rapporteur, you can look to your colleagues dealing with Ukraine, who built their whole report on this. You just have to switch the names of the countries around. Belarus categorically objects to the instrumentalization of human rights for the purpose of settling political scores and justifying interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states. In that regard, we reaffirm our principled position of rejecting country-specific approaches in the work of the UN, and we recall that the main mechanism for addressing human rights issues remains the UPR of the HRC. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Belarus. I'll give the floor next to the representative of Turkmenistan.

Madam Chair, the delegation of Turkmenistan is cautious when it comes to country-specific approaches and mandates, and opposes the use of this and other human rights mechanisms to exert political pressure. When assessing specific initiatives, we take into account the fact whether the position of the host country is aligned and whether they truly contribute to improving human rights. We attach particular importance to the UPR as a mechanism that ensures consideration of human rights situations in all countries on an equal footing, one that contributes to exchange of experience and constructive cooperation. We believe that international human rights efforts must be aimed at strengthening dialogue and providing practical assistance. Initiatives carried out at the request of the host state or with its consent and are aimed at national efforts, supporting national efforts, can contribute to achieving these goals. The activities of relevant UN bodies and special rapporteurs must be carried out strictly within their mandates and complying with the principles of objectivity and impartiality, with respect for state sovereignty and non-interference in their internal affairs. We are convinced that sustainable progress in protecting and promoting human rights is achieved through mutual respect and cooperation with interested states, taking its needs and priorities into account. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Turkmenistan. I'll give the floor next to the representative of Democratic People's Republic of Korea, to be followed by Venezuela, United Kingdom, and Liechtenstein.

Madam Chair, my delegation reaffirms its opposition to country-specific mandates, including Special Rapporteur on human rights situation in Russian Federation, established in pursuit of sinister geopolitical objective and without consent of concerned country. Such practice of exerting undue pressure upon a sovereign state under the pretext of human rights runs counter to core principles of the UN Charter and undermines the credibility of the UN human rights system. Country-specific approach does not improve human rights situation in any country, rather, it generates confrontation and mistrust. The human rights issue should be addressed on the principles of non-selectivity, impartiality, and respect for the sovereignty. The DPRK stands firmly against the politicization of human rights intended for unjustifiable interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state. The DPRK reiterates its support towards Russian Federation in its efforts to promote well-being of its people and defend national sovereignty and security. Thank you, Madam Chair.

I thank the representative of DPRK. I'll give the floor next to the representative of Venezuela.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The promotion and protection of all human rights require genuine commitment to respectful dialogue, international cooperation, and full respect for sovereign equality, political independence, non-interference in internal affairs, and the self-determination of peoples. From that position of principle, Venezuela reiterates its call to end practices that promote an approach to human rights that tramples on the principles of objectivity, impartiality, transparency, and non-politicization and non-selectivity. and that only result in creating spaces for confrontation, while they weaken the trust between states and undermine the credibility of the human rights system of the United States Nations, particularly when they contemplate mechanisms that don't have the consent of these states concerned. In that connection, we reaffirm the central role of the UPR as a universal mechanism for dialogue among equals with the direct participation of national authorities. We also recognize the contribution of the treaty bodies in the framework of the obligations shouldered by each state and technical assistance and capacity building in agreement with the concerned countries and in accordance with their national priorities. Thank you very much.

I thank the representative of Venezuela. I'll give the floor next to the representative of the United Kingdom.

Thank you, Special Rapporteur. Your reporting paints a stark picture of the continued deterioration in the Kremlin's dire domestic human rights record. It highlights that the Kremlin continues to crush dissent, persecute political prisoners, and use repressive legislation to create a climate of fear. We are deeply concerned by your finding that Russia has become one of the world’s most prolific perpetrators of transnational repression, targeting activists, journalists, human rights defenders, and anti-war voices, including those in exile. The UK reiterates its call for the Russian state to release all those imprisoned on political grounds, including for their opposition to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, and to repeal its extensive repressive legislation. The Russian authorities must uphold their international obligations and protect fundamental freedoms of expression, association, and religion or belief. The international community has a shared responsibility to protect and promote the values it upholds. Special Rapporteur, how can states best support those targeted by Russian repression and ensure they can safely engage with international human rights mechanisms? Thank you.

I thank the representative of the UK. I'll give the floor next to the representative of Liechtenstein, followed by Ireland, China, and Luxembourg. Liechtenstein, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. We thank the Special Rapporteur for her latest report, which outlines a systematic policy of transnational repression perpetuated by the Russian Federation to silence and deter dissent and criticism outside of its border. We are deeply alarmed by these practices, which inflict profound and lasting harm on civil society actors and human rights defenders, both within and outside the territory of the Russian Federation. In light of the fact that there is currently no international instrument that specifically addresses these phenomena, what critical steps should Member States take to avoid a widening protection gap for individuals affected by transnational repression? I thank you.

I thank the representative of Liechtenstein. I will give the floor next to the representative of Ireland.

Thank you, Chair. Ireland aligns with the EU statement and thanks the Special Rapporteur for her report. Ireland remains extremely concerned at the ongoing erosion of human rights and democracy in Russia, exacerbated by Russia's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. The war serves both as a justification and a driver for an intensifying system of domestic repression marked by arbitrary arrests, detentions, torture, and harassment, with transnational measures increasingly used to silence criticism in exile. Ireland condemns the Russian government's widespread and systematic violation of human rights. including the instrumentalisation of legislation to restrict the rights of opposition parties, peaceful anti-war activists, human rights defenders, cultural figures, members of the LGBTQI+ community, and ethnic minorities. We also condemn the Russian government’s persecution and imprisonment of journalists as part of its efforts to stifle freedom of opinion and expression. Special Rapporteur, how can the international community support those in Russia in exercising their right to freedom of expression? How can states best counter Russia's transnational repression of its citizens abroad? Thank you.

I thank the representative of Ireland. I'll give the floor next to the representative of China.

Madam Chair, China always advocates addressing differences in the field of human rights through constructive dialogue and cooperation. and opposes the politicization, instrumentalization of human rights issues and opposes the forcible establishment of country mandate without consent of the country concerned. We take note of Russia's repeated opposition to the establishment by the HRC of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation and its refusal to recognize the mandate. Without the consent of the country concerned, forcible establishing a reporting mechanism will only further intensify confrontation. undermine international human rights dialogue and cooperation, and hinder the development of the global human rights cause. We call on the Special Rapporteur to respect the authoritative information provided by the country concerned, not to rely on one-sided or biased sources, view the human rights situation in Russia fairly objectively, and play a constructive role in the economic and social development of Russia and other countries, as well as in the enjoyment of all human rights by their people. Thank you, Madam Chair.

I thank the representative of China. I'll give the floor to the representative of Luxembourg, who's also our last speaker this morning.

Madam Vice Chair, Luxembourg associates itself with the declaration, the statement of the European Union and would like to add a few comments in its national capacity. Madam Special Rapporteur, we welcome your work, which is carried out in extremely difficult conditions. and we welcome the extension of your mandate by the Human Rights Council. Your report shows a growing climate of repression of independent voices in Russia. We remain profoundly concerned by the use of false accusations of defensive terrorism against people who have done nothing wrong but to want to meet peacefully. We remain very concerned by the imprisonment of ordinary citizens simply for having exercised their freedom of expression. The recent reprisals against Russian citizens simply for having cooperated with the United Nations is an additional escalation. Journalists are constantly being targeted. At a time when security is being weakened everywhere, Russia is no exception. Since July 2025, there have been 61 convictions and 102 new criminal procedures against independent journalists, 19 of which have been based on accusations of extremism or terrorism. Madam Special Rapporteur, with regard to the repression of independent journalists, what tools do you think are most effective to preventing that and stopping it? And what can the States do concretely to support independent media and journalists?

Microphone is cut off.

Representative of Luxembourg. I now give the floor to the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, Ms. Maryana Katsarova.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. And thanks to all of you who prepared your questions, clearly read my report. Some of you, obviously using the same statements as last year, just probably storing them for a year and then using them again. Would be great if you read the reports, and would be great if you actually do something more creative, ask questions. I invite all of you, as always, to bilateral meetings. I do that in Geneva. I invite Member States from all regional groups, openly, transparently, to discuss all the findings of each of my reports. To Burundi, I noticed your comment about the reports, my reports being based on doubtful and dubious sources. I would be very happy, Your Excellency, to discuss with you each source and each statement, each finding in my report. And moreover, I invite you to a side event today where all these traitors of the motherland, some of them, will be present as victims of this repression and as victims of the transnational repression. The victims are the sources, the witnesses are the ones to verify through. I cannot conclude without saying that torture remains widespread and systematic in Russia, and it is part of a state strategy, and it really worries me. The layers of scrutiny are being removed one by one. Investigation and custody concentrated in the hands of the Federal Security Service. The organizations that document abuses are outlawed, and Russia's denunciation of the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture is taking effect on 1st November at the end of this week. At least 55 political prisoners have died in detention since 2022, six of them this year. Gravely ill prisoners are denied medical treatment and release. Ukrainian detainees remain to me of particular concern. Ukraine has identified 1,877 civilians in Russian detention, but the real number must be much higher, mostly because they're kept in, many of them, incommunicado detention without any access to the outside world. And some 7,000 prisoners of war remain, Ukrainian, remain in Russian captivity. In the past year, courts sentenced at least 585 Ukrainians on politically motivated cases. And the Ukrainian authorities report 438 deaths in Russian captivity. The autopsies showed torture and denial of medical care. And back to the dubious sources. One of those people was Oleksandr Savov, released in March 2025 and dead eight months later. He left a diary, which was shared with me. It records electric shocks, beatings, dogs set on detainees, forced nudity, and filmed sexualized humiliation, and the participation of medical staff in torture. At present, at least four Ukrainian women journalists are believed to be held in Russian detention. Among them is the 64-year-old Irina Levchenko from occupied Melitopol, who testified, and this is how we know her words, she testified bravely on 9th of September in a Russian court that she was tied to an office chair with a plastic bag over her head and tortured with electric shocks. She also said during her testimony in court, in Russian court, she spoke of other women detainees who would be stripped of their clothes and tortured with electric shocks with wires connected to their genitals and beaten with a shovel by a drunk FSB operatives. Irina Levchenko was kidnapped with her husband from a street in Melitopol in 2023 and was sentenced on 3rd September 26 to 15 years imprisonment on charges of espionage. I repeat, she's a journalist. Leaked correspondence of a Russian major general, examined by journalists this year, discusses the killing of prisoners of war, Ukrainian prisoners of war, and shares photographs of severed ears joked about as garland. Mr. Chair, and those who bring evidence, and some of you spoke about them, and those who bring evidence to this organization, to the United Nations, are punished for it. In December, Daria Egereva, a Selkup nation indigenous human rights defender from Siberia, was detained on her return from speaking at the United Nations Climate Conference. She faces now up to 30 years imprisonment alongside Natalia Leungard, both activists from Aborigen Forum. indigenous rights NGO, which was included on the list of terrorists and extremists by the authorities last year. A Shor, Shor nation of indigenous people, defender who had addressed the UN Permanent Forum here in New York on indigenous issues, was targeted in the same operation. The Russian authorities, yes, have ignored my repeated requests for engagement and for access to the country. That refusal does not diminish their own obligations. And to China, yes, I absolutely welcome access to the country and engagement with the Russian authorities and receiving their information. So please use your good offices to ask them to do so with my mandate. Excellencies, I therefore urge this Assembly to maintain scrutiny and preserve evidence to the standard that future courts will require, pursue accountability for the crime of aggression and for international crimes against Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war, including conflict-related sexual violence. And here to Belarus, absolutely I'm advocating for escalating of the human rights sanctions, those on torturers, on judges, on prosecutors, on officials that are responsible for human rights violations, and I will always advocate for these sanctions. They need to know that the world is watching. Protect Russian human rights defenders, journalists, lawyers, anti-war activists, conscientious objectors, and deserters from transnational repression, and reform more. Reject politically motivated extradition and Interpol requests. and ensure that banks and compliance providers do not give automatic effect to Russian designations. And to those states whose nationals are being trafficked into this war, investigate networks and treat your citizens as victims who deserve protection and justice. Let us by all means work together in your capacity as human member states to elaborate a dedicated international human rights instrument, a binding United Nations convention on transnational repression, with a monitoring and review mechanism, establishing the definition, provisions for prevention, accountability, and the responsibility of member states to close the protection gap. I'm answering to Liechtenstein what we could do to tackle not only the Russian transnational repression, but everywhere in the world. Ladies and gentlemen, on 22nd October, the European Parliament awarded its highest human rights prize to the International Criminal Court, the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, for the court's role as a crucial actor in the global fight to end impunity. It is named after Andrei Sakharov, the Soviet dissident and the 1975 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. In December 2025, the Moscow City Court convicted the ICC Prosecutor and eight ICC judges on charges related to unlawful prosecution of Russian citizens, sentencing them to terms of imprisonment ranging from three and a half to 15 years and all defendants were convicted in absentia and declared internationally wanted. The US government followed by imposing sanctions on the ICC judges and officials too. I thus call on this assembly to unequivocally condemn these attacks on the ICC and to decisively reject and refuse to enforce these or any sanctions against the judges. To the Russian Federation, I say: release all those detained for peacefully exercising their rights; repeal the foreign agent, undesirable organization, and war censorship laws frameworks; end torture and investigate every death in custody; release arbitrarily detained Ukrainian civilians, including children; and account for the disappeared. End human trafficking and coercive recruitment to the war against Ukraine. End reprisals and intimidation of human rights defenders for cooperating with United Nations. Release Daria Egereva and Natalia Lengard, and cooperate with this mandate. And to Switzerland, you were asking me how to tackle torture and impunity in Russia. I think, under your chairmanship, the OSCE has just come up with a great document. It's a roadmap for the prevention and eradication of torture, not just in Russia, in every country in the OSCE region, which, by the way, could be used by the entire world, by other regions. Mr. Chair, a state that must call its own citizens traitors has already lost the argument with them. Our task is to make sure we continue hearing their voices, continue bearing witness and extending our protection and support to them. That is what this organization was built to do. I thank you for your attention.

I thank the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation. The Committee will continue its consideration of agenda item 70, promotion and protection of human rights, and its sub-items A to D this afternoon at 3:00 PM promptly, to hear statements by special procedure mandate holders and other experts and engage with them in a combined interactive dialogue. Information on the work of the Committee, including the schedule of meetings, the latest program of work, and the documentation under each agenda item, is available on IGov. The meeting is adjourned.