The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) welcomes the adoption on 19 December 2017 by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly of the resolution on “Situation of human rights in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol (Ukraine)“, which strengthens the message of UN member states on the illegal occupation of Crimea and further underscores the severity of the human rights violations on the peninsula by the Russian Federation.
The resolution put forth by Ukraine and supported by 70 countries reaffirms the commitment of the UN to the sovereignty, political independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and its condemnation of the temporary occupation of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol by the Russian Federation.
Condemning the abuses, measures and practices of discrimination against the residents of the temporarily occupied Crimea, including Crimean Tatars, as well as Ukrainians and persons belonging to other ethnic and religious groups, by the Russian occupation authorities, the UN urges the Russian Federation:
(a) To uphold all of its obligations under applicable international law as an occupying Power;
(b) To take all measures necessary to bring an immediate end to all abuses against residents of Crimea, in particular reported discriminatory measures and practices, arbitrary detentions, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and to revoke all discriminatory legislation;
(c) To immediately release Ukrainian citizens who were unlawfully detained and judged without regard for elementary standards of justice, as well as those transferred across internationally recognized borders from Crimea to the Russian Federation; […]
Expressing serious concern at the decision of the so-called Supreme Court of Crimea of 26 April 2016 and the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of 29 September 2016 to declare the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, the self-governing body of the Crimean Tatars, to be an extremist organization and to ban its activities, the UN urges the Russian Federation to immediately revoke the decisions, repeal the decision banning leaders of the Mejlis from entering Crimea, and permit the reopening of cultural and religious institutions.
Recognizing that the international presence in Crimea is of paramount importance in preventing further deterioration of the situation, the UN urges the Russian Federation to ensure the proper and unimpeded access of international human rights monitoring missions, human rights non-governmental organizations and journalists to Crimea.
“The Ukrainian World Congress thanks the UN member states that supported Ukraine and its people with the adoption of this resolution and urges the withholding states to join in supporting this appeal for the protection of the fundamental human rights of civilians suffering the wrath of an occupier,” stated UWC President Eugene Czolij.
