The Committee on Human Rights (CHR) of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is greatly concerned by reports of indiscriminate military attacks in Ukraine that have included health facilities. Such attacks pose a grave risk to doctors, nurses, and patients, and they deprive those in need of essential services.
Moreover, attacks on healthcare workers, hospitals, and other medical facilities are prohibited by international human rights and humanitarian law.
The CHR strongly supports global calls to respect and protect access to health care in Ukraine, and in all conflict settings, and reaffirms that healthcare workers providing needed care to the sick and injured must not be targeted. We welcome the decision taken by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to open an investigation into possible war crimes committed by Russian military forces in Ukraine and to seek accountability for violations of international law. Such an investigation should include incidents of violence against healthcare and attacks on our colleagues.
COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTSMARTIN CHALFIE†
Chair
Columbia UniversityCHRIS BEYRER
Johns Hopkins UniversityJOHN CARLSON
Yale UniversityGISELLE CORBIE-SMITH
University of North CarolinaCARLOS DEL RIO*
National Academy of Medicine
International SecretaryVANESSA NORTHINGTON GAMBLE
The George Washington UniversityWESLEY HARRIS
Massachusetts Institute of
TechnologyJOHN HILDEBRAND*
National Academy of Sciences
International SecretaryANDREA LIU
University of PennsylvaniaDOUGLAS MASSEY
Princeton UniversityDEB NIEMEIER
University of Maryland, College ParkJAMES M. TIEN*
National Academy of Engineering
International Secretary† Nobel Laureate
* ex officio member