By Janet Ekstract
NEW YORK- On Thursday, UN Human Rights Chief Michelle Bachelet called on Russia to stop combat at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. Bachelet said that area must immediately be demilitarized and that international rights and humanitarian laws must be respected. At a news conference in Geneva, Bachelet said: “Six months on the fighting continues amid almost unthinkable risks posed to civilians and the environment as hostilities are conducted close to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.” She added: “I call on the Russian president to halt armed attacks against Ukraine. The Zaporizhzhia plant needs to be immediately demilitarized.
Bachelet said the past six months have been “unimaginably terrifying for the people of Ukraine.” She emphasized that both Russia and Ukraine “must respect, at all times and in all circumstances, international human rights law and international humanitarian law.” According to UN reports, close to 6,000 civilians have been killed with almost 8,000 injured including 1,000 children. Bachelet said those figures are likely much higher. The UN Human Rights chief will be stepping down from her post next week.
