We need to raise the issue of Russia's trial of Azov defenders with international partners who assisted in the fighters' withdrawal from Mariupol - Ukraine’s diplomat Chaly

This was stated by diplomat Valeriy Chaly on Espreso.

"I have a question: when the prisoners were taken out of Azovstal, it was said that there would be no trials, that there was an agreed solution. If this means the destruction of the agreements that were guaranteed by third parties, I look at the faces of our women and men, they are like in a concentration camp. This is a terrible situation and a gross violation of the rules of war. We need to bring our people back by all means possible, the approach of waiting for the end of the war is wrong," he said.

According to the diplomat, this issue should be raised at all platforms where human rights are discussed.

"This is a war crime, and according to the Geneva Convention, they have no right to treat combatants like this. I am shocked by those mediators who offered a solution. It's all closed, we don't know what they agreed on, but we see the result. What Russia is doing now - either we did not talk about it, or now we need to raise this issue with those who guaranteed this withdrawal," Chaly said.

• The United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross participated in the withdrawal of Mariupol defenders from the Azovstal plant. 

• On June 14, Russia began a show trial in Rostov-on-Don for 22 soldiers who defended Mariupol and Azovstal. They could be sentenced to 15 years or to life in prison if the court finds them "guilty."

• Marianna Homeriky, a spokeswoman for the Association of Families of Azovstal Defenders, said that this was not the first "trial" of soldiers who defended Mariupol, as previous ones were completely closed.