24/06/2025 Session
PACE today expressed concern about the dire situation of Ukrainian prisoners of war, “subjected to summary executions, widespread and systematic torture, and inhuman and degrading treatment, amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity”. Unanimously adopting a resolution based on the report by Yelyzaveta Yasko (Ukraine, EPP/CD), PACE called for urgent intervention by the international community and urged all states to support political negotiations to accelerate the release and repatriation of all prisoners of war.
PACE also called on Russia to comply with international human rights and humanitarian law, and to respect all the conditions of detention of prisoners of war as set out in the Third Geneva Convention, by establishing dedicated places of internment – including prisoner of war camps and temporary and permanent transit camps – providing adequate food, water and medical care, and allowing them to communicate with their families.
Furthermore, the adopted resolution recommends the establishment of “a structured, permanent mechanism” to enable the prompt, secure and regular identification, tracing, release and repatriation of all prisoners of war.
Finally, the Parliamentary Assembly called on all states whose legislation provides for universal jurisdiction to prosecute officials of Russia involved in war crimes and other crimes.