Amnesty International reminds us that, according to international humanitarian law, members of the same family should not be separated in the process of an occupying power undertaking transfers or evacuations. The report notes that “regarding adoptions of Ukrainian children in Russia, the CRC calls on states “to respect the right of the child to preserve his or her identity, including nationality, name and family relations as recognized by law without unlawful interference” and that “In violation of these legal obligations and Ukraine’s moratorium on intercountry adoptions, Russian and Russian-controlled authorities in the DNR and LNR have transferred Ukrainian children to Russia and facilitated the permanent adoption of some Ukrainian children by Russian families, depriving them of the opportunity to grow up and receive care in their country of origin. Moreover, in the chaos of war and in the absence of formal relations between Ukraine and Russia, unaccompanied and separated Ukrainian children risk being identified as orphans available for adoption when they are not, possibly preventing reunification with blood relations and guardians”. CHIP supports Amnesty International’s recommendation and hopes that adoptions of children transferred to Russia from occupied parts of Ukraine stop, as well as separations of children from the family members or guardians with whom they are transferred or evacuated to Russia or Russian-occupied areas.

Source : “Like a prison convoy”, Russia’s unlawful transfer and abuse of civilians in Ukraine during ‘filtration’, November 2022, https://amnestyfr.cdn.prismic.io/amnestyfr/5a606ecd-6bd4-40db-8e61-f49deef785f8_EUR+5061362022+-+EN+-+Forcible+Transfers+-+Embargoed+10+Nov+2022.pdf