Human rights groups sent a letter to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday requesting that the identities of captured North Korean soldiers be withheld, and that they not be sent to Russia or repatriated to North Korea against their will.

The organizations, including the Citizens’ Alliance for North Korean Human Rights, cited the Geneva Conventions by the International Committee of the Red Cross, adding that the repatriation of prisoners of war clearly violates the general principles of international law and the detaining country may allow them to seek asylum.

The groups also pointed out that in North Korea, soldiers who defect, as well as their families, are likely to face harsh punishments as traitors.

The activists stressed that disclosing the identities of prisoners of war does not align with the humanitarian spirit of the Geneva Conventions, specifically Article 13, which governs the treatment of prisoners.

The groups also requested that the Ukrainian authorities collect, analyze and preserve evidence and information regarding the atrocities committed by Russia and North Korea against North Korean soldiers, in preparation for the future prosecution for war crimes and crimes against humanity.