Russia’s government daily newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta announced that the United Nations have criticized Ukraine’s investigation of the violent events in Odessa which claimed the lives of 48 people in May 2014.
“Ukraine has made little progress in investigating the murders in the center of Kiev in the winter of 2014, and the tragedy at the Odessa Trade Union House” writes Rossiyskaya Gazeta.
The publication cites the UN report on the human rights situation in Ukraine as the basis for its claims. The report however, states something somewhat different (page 25):
”There has no meaningful progress in the investigation into the Maidan events in Kyiv and ensuing violence. High-level officials that bear responsibility for ordering and overseeing the violence have to date eluded justice. While there has been some progress in the investigation into the 2 May 2014 violence in Odesa and the resulting death of 48 individuals, serious concerns remain.”
Rossiyskaya gazeta not only distorted the text of the UN report, but omitted the fact that the Odesa investigation is making progress and that officials responsible for the Maidan violence managed to “elude justice”.
The newspaper also completely ignores what the UN report says about the Odesa investigation (p. 25 TEC UN report on Human Rights): “OHCHR welcomes the progress made in the investigation into failure of the police to ensure public safety on 2 May 2014. On 26 February, the Office of the Prosecutor General filed an indictment against former Head of Odesa Regional Police, Petro Lutsiuk”.
The UN has not criticized the pace of the investigations into the Maidan violence and the Odesa deaths, this is confirmed by Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ivan Šimonović’s statement on the UN web site as well as the video of his UN report presentation.
