Check against delivery

33^rd session of the UN Human Rights Council

Agenda item 3

Clustered interactive dialogue with Special Rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation and Working Group on Arbitrary Detention

Intervention by the Delegation of Ukraine

September 13, 2016

Mr. President,

We welcome conducting this dialogue with the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, as Ukraine is extremely concerned over the increase of detentions and disappearances on the territories controlled by the Russian-backed illegal armed groups in Donbas as well as incidents of abductions by the occupying Russian authorities in the illegally occupied Crimea.

Russia continues to ignore the norms and standards of the international law, violating fundamental human rights and freedoms. Moreover, it has returned to the punitive psychiatry and politically motivated trials of dissidents. Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis of Crimean Tatars Ilmi Umerov was placed in the psychiatric clinic last month for examination after being charged with separatism for making public statement denying that Crimea was a part of Russia – the statement, which is in full conformity with the General Assembly resolution 68/262. Ilmi Umerov was released last week when expertise acknowledged him to be healthy; nevertheless he remains under persecution by the Russian occupation authorities.

The acts of punitive psychiatry clearly disregard the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, not even mentioning the fact that it is totally unacceptable in a civilized state.

It is deeply regrettable that still so many Ukrainian citizens remain arbitrary detained in occupied territories of Crimea and Eastern Ukraine. In this regard I would seek advice of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention on what mechanisms could be additionally used to facilitate liberation of the persons detained by the Russian authorities.

Thank you.