UN rights team: Ukrainian POWs face systematic mistreatment

By JAMEY KEATEN
Associated Press

GENEVA (AP) — U.N. human rights investigators say Ukrainian prisoners of war appear to be facing “systematic” mistreatment — including torture — both when they are captured and when they are transferred into areas controlled by Russian forces or Russia itself. A monitoring mission set up by the U.N. human rights office says Russia must address such mistreatment that amounts a grave violation of international law. The findings emerged as the mission issued its first comprehensive look at rights violations and abuses committed by both sides of the war between Feb. 1 and July 31 — covering the first months after Russian forces invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.