MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th January, 2023) The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) said on Wednesday it would hold a debate on the legal and human rights aspects of the Ukraine conflict during its winter plenary session from January 23-27 in Strasbourg.
"An urgent debate on the legal and human rights aspects of the Russian Federation's aggression against Ukraine ... will be among the highlights of the Winter plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe," the PACE said in a statement.
Oleksandra Matviichuk, the director of the Center for Civil Liberties, 2022 Nobel Peace prize laureate, will take part in the debate. Icelandic Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock will also deliver addresses at the session, according to the statement.
Sexual violence and the impact of armed conflict on the environment are among other topics on the agenda, the PACE added.
The issue of human rights in Ukraine has become a focus of international attention after Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine on February 24, following calls for help from the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk. The crisis has provoked massive flows of refugees from Ukraine to European countries. According to the United Nations, nearly 7.9 million Ukrainian refugees have been staying in Europe.
In addition, civilians in Ukraine and Donbas have been suffering from interruptions in electricity, heating and water supply. Media also have reported persistent war crimes during the Ukraine conflict.
