SUPPORT THE CALL TO INCLUDE RUSSIA IN THE UN ‘LIST OF SHAME’ FOR COMMITTING CRIMES OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE
We, representatives of organizations that unite survivors of sexual violence, torture, and ill-treatment by the military of the Russian Federation, are writing to you with pain and hope. Pain because of the countless sufferings of survivors of violence that has become a weapon in the hands of the aggressor, and hope for your solidarity and determination to act.
We have sent a letter of appeal to the UN Secretary-General, Mr. Antonio Guterres, through the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, Matthias Schmale.
In the letter, we demand to include the armed and security forces of the Russian Federation, as well as affiliated groups, in the annex to the UN Secretary-General's annual report on conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV), “List of Parties Reasonably Suspected of Committing or Responsible for Rape and Other Forms of Sexual Violence in Situations of Armed Conflict on the Agenda of the Security Council”, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1960.
Letter of Appeal to the UN Secretary-General
This initiative is not just another appeal, it is a righteous demand of those who have suffered unspeakable terror; it is a call for justice that depends on each of us today. Public recognition of the perpetrators is the first step towards justice, an important step towards restoring faith that the world is capable of protecting human rights and bringing the perpetrators to justice.
We are appealing to civil society and international organizations, activists and experts working to protect the rights of and assist victims of gross human rights violations and serious violations of humanitarian law to support our initiative and sign the Letter of Support.
How do I support the initiative?
1. To join the signatories of the support letter, send an email to advocacy@semaukraine.org.ua.
2. In the letter, write:
- “I support the initiative”
- Your name
- Your status or position (lawyer, human rights defender, activist, etc.)
3. Write in the subject line: “Support for the initiative to include the Russian Federation in the ‘shame list’”.
Your involvement can help turn silence into a voice of solidarity and action. Realizing the goal of our initiative will have an extremely strong impact - survivors will receive a signal that their pain is heard and the international community is ready to act in their defense. At the same time, this step will be an important element in restoring trust in international institutions that are supposed to be the guarantors of justice and human rights protection!
those who have already supported the intiative to include russia in the UN "list of shame" for commiting crimes of sexual violence
