Interactive Dialogue on High Commissioner oral update 

on the situation in Ukraine

Statement by Sergiy Kyslytsya,

Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine

 (Geneva, 24 September 2019)

Mr. President,

I thank Deputy High Commissioner Kate Gilmorefor her presentation and update on the human rights situation in Ukraine against the backdrop of external aggression. 

Ukraine and its citizens are suffering in the sixth year of war against my country. We are holding this discussion in the Human Rights Council for the sixth year exactly because continuing gross violations of human rights are the direct consequence of war.  

Let me recall that primary reason for the Government of Ukraine to invite the OHCHR to deploy the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine in 2014 was to put an end and to prevent further human rights abuses in the temporarily occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea and in certain parts of Donbas. Due to continued aggression, a week ago the new Government of Ukraine requested 6-month extension of the Mission’s mandate, considering that the Mission remains a vitally important monitoring instrument.

 We praise former Mission’s Head Fiona Fraser for her dedicated work in the past five years and wish her every success in her new, no less challenging assignment. We also welcome the new and experienced Head of Mission Matilda Bogner, with whom we have established good working relations.

Mr. President,

The Mission’s activities have undoubtedly contributed to the preparation of a comprehensive report of the UN Secretary General on Crimea, which was recently issued pursuant to UNGA resolution 73/263 “Situation of human rights in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine”. The SG report is a valuable account of numerous violations of international humanitarian and human rights law committed by the occupying power in the Ukrainian peninsula. It is also important that the report and its recommendations are not challenged, but respected and duly implemented by its opponents.   

This timely report was submitted before the UN General Assembly, now holding its general debate, where the issues of human rights abuses, including in the occupied territories of Ukraine, willbe high on the agenda. 

We are witnessing a growing desire by the Russian Federation to replace the problem of de-occupation and the need to implement international humanitarian law with hybrid and thoroughly cockeyed concepts, which have nothing to do with international law. Obviously, they are designed to divert attention from the issue of accountability and create the impression of a blooming and prosperous Crimea, in keeping with best Soviet traditions of state-sponsored lies, which stillflourish in some places like North Korea.  

That is why we have always stated that no ersatz or imitation of monitoring can ever be a substitute for Russia’s responsibility to comply with the norms of international humanitarian and human rights law, to fulfil the duties and obligations of the occupying power spelled out in the Hague Regulations and Geneva Conventions and to respect the Ukrainian legislation.     

Any attempts to legitimize illegal occupation through the so-called “independent monitoring” or through holding illegal elections in the temporarily occupied territories are null, void and have no legal consequences.      

The occupant’s emissaries, the so-called “representatives of Crimea”, just as rust corroding metal, are penetrating international human rights fora from Warsaw, through Geneva to New York, taking seats on the sly behind the Russian delegation’s nameplate. They should be driven out instead of being given the floor by the moderators under the pretext of freedom of speech. 

Should one continue to turn a blind eye on such frauds and tricks, they will further succeed in the depreciation of our procedures, norms and values.

Mr. President,  

I began my intervention with a painful reminder about the ongoing war and occupation of my country, which took over three thousand of lives, including the innocent lives of hundreds of boys and girls.For us, sitting in the UN Human Rights Council, it is not just numbers, it is about most important human right – the right to life, without which it is impossible to enjoy other human rights. 

With this in mind, we are approaching the elections to the Human Rights Council, where Member States will face a difficult moral choice deciding on the candidacy of Russia, which blatantly disrespects human rights of its own citizens, perpetrates human rights abuses at home and abroad, in essence, commits a moral turpitude amidst its desire to infiltrate the body, which has been created to prevent human rights violations and go after violators.

Finally, I wish to express gratitude to all cosponsors and supporters of HRC resolution 41/25, which provides for continuation of these Interactive Dialogues, which in fact we would like to see discontinued as soon as there are no more human rights abuses caused by external aggression and occupation in Ukraine. 

 I thank you.