Putin's comments violate international law on POWs

Vladimir Putin's recent comments about treating Ukrainian prisoners of war as "terrorists" have raised concerns about violations of international law. A human rights expert stated that this approach breaches the Geneva Conventions, which Russia is still obligated to follow. Putin made these remarks during a visit to Kursk, where he claimed Russian forces control the city of Sudzha. The expert emphasized that prisoners of war should not be prosecuted simply for being combatants and must receive fair trials. The expert also criticized Russia's practice of labeling captured civilians as prisoners of war for exchange purposes. She called for the immediate and unconditional release of all detained civilians and highlighted cases of individuals tried without due process.