Flash from Amnesty International:
Separatist forces in Ukraine accused of threatening mass ‘executions’
The armed group calling itself the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) must not carry out 'executions', including a reported threat of killing prisoners facing life sentences, Amnesty International said today.
On Friday Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council announced that fighters from the group had seized a penitentiary institution in Donetsk and threatened to kill all prisoners facing life sentences, forcing the others to join their ranks.
“Killing prisoners is strictly prohibited under the Geneva Conventions, to which all parties must adhere in a time of conflict,” said Denis Krivosheev, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Europe and Central Asia.
“If genuine, this threat would demonstrate how desperately lawlessness is spiralling out of control in eastern Ukraine.”
The DPR introduced what it refers to as a Criminal Code on 17 August, providing the ‘death penalty’ for a number of crimes including treason, looting and espionage.
Because the International Committee of the Red Cross has made clear that these trucks are not acting on its behalf or under its custody.
With Russia meddling in Ukraine and Moldova fearful of Kremlin-backed agitation -- or worse -- in Transdniester, U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden has expressed support for Georgia's desire to join NATO. Biden's remarks came in a telephone conversation with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili today, the White House said.
Meanwhile, Georgians have expressed their solidarity with Ukrainians in this YouTube video, shared by Espreso.TV yesterday:
Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius says Mykola Zelenec, Lithuania's honorary consul in eastern Ukraine's Luhansk, has been kidnapped and killed by the pro-Russian rebels there.
Linkevicius met earlier today with Ukrainian President Poroshenko.
Ukrainian daredevil "Mustang Wanted" has claimed via Facebook to be the person who painted the "seven sisters" spire in Moscow in Ukrainian blue and raised the Ukrainian flag. He says his confession "is aimed at liberation of those innocent Russians accused of hooliganism and who have every chance of falling victim to the well-known fairness of Russian justice."
He suggests he will turn himself in to Russian authorities "in exchange for the release of a brave Ukrainian girl -- Nadya Savchenko," a reference to a Ukrainian military pilot who is in Russian custody after being kidnapped by separatists; she has been accused by Russian authorities of complicity in the killing during fighting in eastern Ukraine of two Russian journalists.
He says he did the painting and "raised the flag of independent Ukraine" in "a fit of sincere patriotic sentiment." He adds that he has photos and video evidence to prove his claim. He says "it took me almost all night and I finished about 6 am."
Four young Russians who were said to have been carrying climbing gear were detained and accused of the stunt overnight on August 19-20.