UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission demands access to detainees in occupied Donbas

"I would like to emphasize that the activities of the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in the territory controlled by self-proclaimed republics are extremely restricted. I urge to provide the Mission with unhindered confidential access to detention facilities and detainees," Head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine Matilda Bogner said during the presentation of the report on the situation in eastern Ukraine for August 16 - November 15, 2019, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

She stressed that the communiqué, which had been approved following the Normandy Four meeting in Paris on December 10, underscored the need to grant international organizations full and unconditional access to all detainees.

"We hope that this will give new impetus to ensuring a possibility of such access," the Head of Mission said.

Bogner also stated that the Russian Federation had not yet granted the Mission access to Crimea despite numerous requests.

"We call on Russia to facilitate access [for Mission representatives] as this would help strengthen protection of vulnerable people and send a positive signal to the international community," Head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine added.

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