Ukraine informs UN about human rights violations in occupied territories

Ukraine's Deputy Minister for Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories Ihor Yaremenko and Head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine Matilda Bogner have discussed Russia's responsibility for armed aggression against Ukraine, the press service of the Ministry for Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories has reported.

According to the report, the sides discussed Russia's responsibility and the situation in eastern Ukraine due to Russian aggression, human rights violations in Ukraine's temporarily occupied territories of Donbas and Crimea, as well as other important topics.

In particular, Yaremenko emphasized the position of the Ukrainian government and the international community that condemn Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine and warned against any form of recognition of Russia's role, except as a party to the international military conflict.

"It is important to consolidate the efforts of the international community, including international humanitarian organizations, to prevent the aggressor country from hiding behind its proxies in the Ukrainian Donbas and to prevent the Russian Federation from avoiding responsibility for the crimes committed. Only the recognition of Russia's responsibility can help improve the situation and thus reduce the number of human rights violations," Yaremenko said.

Bogner, in turn, emphasized the priority of ensuring the protection of citizens during the armed conflict and reducing casualties among civilians and highlighted the main problems of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in this area.

The sides paid special attention to the need to contain the pandemic caused by COVID-19 in the territories of Ukraine temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation, as well as Russia's responsibility for the spread of COVID-19.

In addition, the parties paid attention to the situation with Russian occupation administrations restricting access for monitoring and humanitarian missions to temporarily occupied territories.

"It was noted that blocking the admission of monitoring and humanitarian missions under the pretext of quarantine and the use by the Russian Federation of the pandemic to legitimize such actions is absolutely unacceptable. The UN continues to support the position of unimpeded access to the population affected by the Russian aggression on both sides of the contact line, first and foremost, to provide humanitarian assistance as well as to study the needs map," the ministry said.

The parties also discussed cooperation in gathering information on human rights violations in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions and in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, remedies for victims of Russian aggression, including violations of property rights in Crimea, illegal conscription, militarization of education in temporarily occupied territories, as well as the general situation regarding the negative socio-economic consequences for Ukrainian citizens due to Russia's armed aggression.

Photo: mtot.gov.ua