Verkhovna Rada Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets met with the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) president, Kate Forbes, in Geneva. He called on the organization to take concrete steps regarding Russia and Belarus.
What Lubinets discussed with the MFCH
The ombudsman's statement says that the meeting primarily discussed suspending the Russian Red Cross's (IRC) membership in the federation and, in the future, its complete exclusion from the organisation.
After all, as is known, the IRC has carried out several actions that do not correspond to the principles of the organisation. I am convinced that the time has come to make a strong-willed decision: RCH cannot remain a part of the federation if they play along with the goals of the aggressor! This is the advocacy of the interests of Russians!
Dmytro Lubinets
Verkhovna Rada Human Rights Commissioner
Lubinets said that if appropriate measures are not taken, he emphasised that he "reserves the right" to start a campaign to inform donors of the IFCH about the lack of an "effective response" by t” to violations.
The issue of the exclusion of the Belarusian Red Cross from the federation due to involvement in the deportation of Ukrainian children was also raised at the meeting.
The ombudsman requested that the IFRC assist in the verification of Ukrainian children who were taken to or through the territory of Belarus.
There is still an opportunity to save the reputation of the Red Cross! For this, specific actions are required from the organisation, which are aimed at the victory of justice, and not at provoking new crimes!
In December 2023, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies suspended the membership of Belarus.
What is known about the abduction of Ukrainian children by Russia
For Children's Day in 2023, the Online.UA team presented the documentary project "Abducted Childhood", which tells the story of Ukrainian children forcibly deported and abducted to Russia.
During more than two years of full-scale war, Ukraine was able to return about 400 children. At the same time, Russia declared that it "evacuated" 744,000 Ukrainian children.
