This statement is delivered on behalf of a cross-regional coalition of NGOs led by United Nations Watch (“Civil Society Coalition”), as listed on our website.
The Civil Society Coalition believes that the war in Ukraine will stop when the Russian people are able to express their opposition to it. We therefore urge the Human Rights Council, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Secretary-General along with all other relevant UN human rights mandate-holders and special procedures to speak out and demand the release of all prisoners of conscience detained by the Russian Federation for the crime of opposing its aggression in Ukraine.
HRC 50 Civil Society Appeal for Release of Russian Political Prisoner