The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine welcomes the publication of the report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) “Ten Years of Occupation by the Russian Federation: Human Rights in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol, Ukraine.”
“The facts of flagrant crimes of the Russian occupation authorities in Crimea against the inhabitants of the occupied peninsula, in particular Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars, documented by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine for ten years, once again confirm Russia’s neglect of its international legal obligations in violation the UN Charter, international human rights law and international humanitarian law,” the department’s press service said.
It is indicated that the UN report contains numerous cases of forced disappearance of pro-Ukrainian activists, members of Crimean Tatar organizations and journalists in Crimea, which were recorded. In addition, there are cases of torture and ill-treatment of persons accused by the occupation authorities of extremism, belonging to groups banned in Russia, sabotage or “anti-Russian” activities.
The report also records cases of systematic suppression of manifestations of Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar identity and culture, restrictions on freedom of religion, as well as freedom of thought on the part of Russia.
“An important element in the document is a reference to the decision of the International Court of Justice of January 31, 2024, which established a violation by Russia of the Order of the Court on the application of temporary measures of April 19, 2017 due to the ongoing ban on the activities of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people and, due to the introduction of the Russian system education in Crimea, which actually makes it impossible to receive educational services in the Ukrainian language, Russia is recognized as a violator of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination,” the Foreign Ministry said.
It is noted that, contrary to the calls of the international community, the provisions of a number of resolutions of the UN General Assembly and regular requests from the OHCHR, Russia continues to refuse to provide physical access to experts of the UN Monitoring Mission to the territory of Crimea, and therefore international observers can only monitor the situation on the peninsula remotely.
The ministry called on the UN Secretary-General and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to continue to make every effort to facilitate the effective implementation of all resolutions approved by the UN General Assembly on the human rights situation in Crimea, temporarily occupied by Russia.
“The international community must continue systemic pressure on the aggressor state in order to stop its violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, as well as the de-occupation of the Ukrainian peninsula,” the department said.