UNESCO states deterioration of situation in Crimea

 “On 6 April 2020, the 10th Information Meeting on the situation in the temporarily occupied Crimea in UNESCO’s fields of competence took place. Due to the situation with the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was held online through interactive participation of representatives of the Member States,” the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine informs.

The relevant reports of Organization’s institutional partners – Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and Amnesty International – were distributed among the Member States on behalf of UNESCO Assistant Director-General Mr. Matoko.

The reports stated further deterioration of the situation in the temporarily occupied Crimea in UNESCO’s fields of competence, citing specific facts of ongoing violations of human rights, oppression of national minorities, abuses of freedom of the press, the safety of journalists, protection of cultural heritage, obstacles to access to mother-tongue education.

“A joint statement of 33 UNESCO Member States aimed to support Ukraine's position on Crimea was circulated during the online Information Meeting. The statement called upon the UNESCO Secretariat to pursue the first phase of direct monitoring of the situation in the temporarily occupied Crimea in UNESCO’s fields of competence. That would pave the way to the second phase of the monitoring directly in the territory of the temporarily occupied peninsula. The statement also emphasized the need to monitor the situation in Crimea in accordance with UNGA Resolution 68/262 of 27 March 2014 “Territorial Integrity of Ukraine”,” the statement reads.

As noted, the results of the Information Meeting confirmed that the issue of the temporarily occupied Crimea remained among UNESCO's priorities and testified to the increasing support of Ukraine in the context of consideration by the UNESCO Executive Board of the decision “Follow-up of the situation in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea (Ukraine)”, scheduled for October 2020.

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