An armed pro-Russian takes position at a checkpoint in the eastern Ukranian city of Slavyansk on Thursday.
KIEV The United Nations warned yesterday of an "alarming deterioration" of human right in eastern Ukraine, where the government is battling an insurgency by armed pro-Russian separatists.
In a new report, UN Hight Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay also voiced deep concern about "serious problems" of harassment and intimidation facing the Tatar community in Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in March in the face of international outrage.
The report catalogues a litany of "targeted killings, torture and beatinds, abductions, intimidation and some cases of sexual harassment" which it said was carried out by anti-government groups in the east of Ukraine.
In a veiled reference to Russia,Ms Pillay called on " those with influence on the armed groups responsible for much of the violence in eastern Ukraine to do their utmost to rein in these men who seem bent on tearing the country apart But Moscow swiftly denounced the findinds of the report, which was issued just days before a May 25 presidential election in Ukraine the West sees as crucial for the country's survival