As with Gaza, UN concern is with impunity for human rights crimes
The UN report is the fourth on human rights conditions in eastern Ukraine since mid-March, when the high commissioner deployed a 39-member Human Rights Monitoring Mission there. The mission had documented at least 1,129 killings, 3,442 woundings, and 812 abductions over a four month period ending July 15. The report points out that the armed groups in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions are able to commit human rights crimes with impunity, leading to "a collapse of the rule of law." The report also includes allegations that the armed groups have forced detainees to dig trenches or fight on the front lines; and that there are cases of apparently illegal detention by the Ukrainian armed forces as well.
Elsewhere in Ukraine the UN mission found that most Ukrainians were relatively free, but saw worrisome trends:
" the level of hate speech has escalated dramatically, especially on social media, but also in demonstrations and protests and even in Parliament". the level of 'anti-Russia' rhetoric has increased along with the physical targeting of Russian-owned banks and businesses on the grounds that they are 'financing terrorism.'
Harassment, intimidation,
manipulation, abductions, detentions and enforced disappearances of journalists
have continued to occur in the east, and at least five journalists have been
killed since the fighting began in April.
Since the end of period of the report, fist fights have erupted in Parliament at least twice. After two political parties dropped out of the ruling coalition, the prime minister resigned. Nevertheless, he remains in office pending a parliamentary vote to accept his resignation. That would presumably lead to the election of a new parliament in the fall.
Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk voiced deep anger at the parliament for failing to pass laws that would address the country's need for liberalization. He accused members of betraying the goals and ideals of the Maidan that led to the overthrow of the elected government in March. President Petro Poroshenko welcomed the break-up of the ruling coalition, hoping it would lead to a purge of "Moscow agents" in parliament. The Poroshenko government routinely refers to separatists in the east as "terrorists," reflecting the UN's concern over hate speech.
Increased polarization may lead to deadly ethnic cleansing
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