The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg has issued a warning to Russia not to use its armed forces to attack civilians in Ukraine, or “civilian objects” such as schools and hospitals.
The court’s announcement on March 1 that it had decided to grant “interim” or emergency measures against Russia as a Council of Europe member state amounted to a formal warning to the Russian government to cease what were described as “massive human rights violations being committed by Russian troops in the course of military aggression against the sovereign territory of Ukraine.”
It came in response to a request made by Ukraine.
The court’s decision also required Russia to “ensure immediately the safety of the medical establishments, personnel and emergency vehicles within the territory under attack or siege by Russian troops”.
And the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court announced that he planned to investigate evidence of possible war crimes committed by Russian or Ukrainian forces in Ukraine.
The legal actions follow a decision by the Council of Europe, Europe’s key human rights body, to suspend Russia’s representation in the organisation.
ECHR warning to Russia on human rights
International Criminal Court to open investigation into war crimes in Ukraine
Council of Europe suspends Russian representation
ECHR building with part of the Berlin Wall in front
