Propagandists spreading pro-Russian rhetoric in the media claim that the UN is accusing the “Kyiv regime” of pronouncing sentences on innocent people. They say they mean almost six thousand criminal proceedings for cooperation with Russia. This statement was made by UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al-Nashif during her speech at a meeting of the UN Human Rights Council on October 9. Propagandists also refer to statements by the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation, Tetiana Moskalkova, where she accused the Ukrainian special services of keeping teachers in custody in the Kherson region. According to her, Ukraine reproaches teachers in prison only because they “did not violate their professional duty and continued to teach children”. However, this is manipulation.

Specialists from the StopFake project drew attention to it. They found out that although the topic was indeed discussed at the meeting, Al-Nashif did not accuse Ukraine of “declaring the verdicts of innocent people”. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights only expressed concern that “many of those arrested and even convicted suffered because of their actions, which, in principle, the occupying state could force them to do”. In this context, they are observing with “deep concern” the policy of mass granting of Russian citizenship to local residents in the territory of Ukraine temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation.

In addition, Russian media ignored part of the report in which the Office drew attention to numerous human rights violations by Russia. In particular, Al-Nashif said victims described “cruelty that is difficult to imagine”, such as electric shocks, sexual assault and severe beatings, in some cases resulting in broken bones and knocked out teeth. She also criticized the conditions of the prisoners, in particular the lack of access to food and medicine, as well as sleep deprivation. The UN also drew attention to the fact that Russia has not taken any measures to hold accountable for violations and crimes committed by its security forces.

Moskalkova’s statements do not correspond to reality. According to Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, criminal liability is provided not for teaching under occupation, but for “propaganda carried out by a citizen of Ukraine in educational institutions”, as well as for the implementation of the standards of the aggressor state in the educational process. Deputy Minister of Justice of Ukraine Valeriia Kolomiets, in a commentary for Radio Svoboda (Liberty), emphasized that the fact of living in temporarily occupied territories does not automatically define a person as a collaborator. The official also stated cases when Ukrainian teachers under occupation were forced to work under pressure, worrying about the lives of themselves and their families. Accordingly, the pre-trial investigation and the court must take into account all the circumstances of this category of cases.

By spreading such messages, propagandists want to discredit the Ukrainian authorities and avoid responsibility for Russian crimes. In addition, in this way they justify the disdainful attitude towards the residents of the temporarily occupied territories. Detector Media has already written about what harmful messages Russia creates and disseminates against residents of temporarily occupied territories.