Violations of the right to life, attacks on civilians, the treatment of prisoners of war, violations of children's rights and the issue of missing children - all in the context of the war in Ukraine - were discussed during a side-event that concluded the International Conference on Human Rights Protection Mechanisms and the Role of National Human Rights Institutions in the European Union and beyond.

The event, entitled "The Human Cost of War: Addressing Gross Human Rights Violations Stemming from Russia’s War of Aggression Against Ukraine.", was co-organised by the Moldovan People's Advocate and the Deputy Human Rights Commissioner of the Ukrainian Parliament.

In his opening address, the Head of the Council of Europe Office in Chisinau, Mr Falk Lange, underlined:

This aggression is not only a violation of Ukraine's sovereignty, but also an affront to the fundamental principles of our organisation - democracy, human rights and the rule of law".

He recalled the Council of Europe's response to the Russian aggression, which started with its expulsion from the organisation, the establishment of a damage register to document and collect evidence of the damages caused, and the launch of a new action plan to support Ukraine's reconstruction, resilience and recovery.

The event also included a presentation by the Ukrainian representative, who provided first-hand information on the conflict.

The organisation of this event in the Republic of Moldova was of particular significance given the region's vulnerability to misinformation and propaganda, which have been used to cover up the human rights crisis in Ukraine. "The misleading narratives about this war not only seek to distort the reality about the situation in Ukraine and the region, but also to weaken the solidarity needed to protect democratic principles and human rights" concluded the Moldovan Ombudsperson Ceslav Panico, who also urged the international community to prioritize the protection of human rights as part of the wider effort to end the war.

The conference was organised in the framework of the Council of Europe Project "Support to the Office of the Ombudsperson in the Protection of Human Rights in the Republic of Moldova - Phase I" - an initiative aimed at strengthening the capacities of the PAO to better protect human rights through institutional capacity building. The event took place in collaboration with the Moldovan People's Advocate Office, UNHCR Moldova and the Danish Institute for Human Rights.