Verkhovna Rada commissioner on human rights Dmytro Lubinets commented on the situation with Ukrainian prisoners of war in Hungary.

The ombudsman stated that Hungary violated international humanitarian law by secretly negotiating with Russia and detaining Ukrainian prisoners of war. Budapest took such a step without informing the Ukrainian side.

‘Hungary did this completely in secret, without informing the Ukrainian side, which is a violation of the international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions’, he said.

The ombudsman noted that it is allowed to move prisoners of war only after the country of origin has been informed.

Dmytro Lubinets also called on all partners who can help return Ukrainians from Russia or from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine to join peace initiatives.

11 Ukrainian prisoners of war were brought to Hungary via the mediation of the Russian Orthodox Church. The Ukrainian side learned about the transfer of its citizens to a third country from the media, as the government was not informed about the relevant negotiations between the Hungarian and Russian sides. Currently, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine is demanding that the consul be allowed to visit the prisoners of war who are kept in isolation.

During the discussion at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary, Peter Szijarto, stated that Budapest was not involved in the transfer of 11 Ukrainian prisoners of war into their country.