35^th session of the UN Human Rights Council

Agenda item 3

 

Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the promotion

and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression

 

Statement by the delegation of Ukraine

June 13, 2017

 

Thank you, Mr. President,

The Ukrainian delegation draws your, Mr. Kaye, attention to large-scale curtailing of freedom of speech and expression in occupied by the Russian Federation Crimea, which, according to international organizations, including ‘Freedom House’, has turned into one of the worst places in the world for journalists to work.

Among massive violations in Crimea – criminal prosecution of the “undesirable” journalists, illegal detentions, arrests, searches, physical violence, seizure and damage to equipment, captures or calls to seizure of publications and their equipment, denials of registration, re-registrations and closure of media outlets, illegal changes to radio frequencies, blocking publications on the Internet, threats and intimidation against media representatives etc. Not a single crime against journalists in Crimea has been investigated in three years and perpetrators have not been punished because the so-called ‘law enforcement agencies’ are often involved in the persecution of the mass media outlets representatives and fabrication of cases.

Referring to your report, we share your conclusion that, I quote, “…certain interferences – such as overbroad requests for user data and third party retention of such data – can have both near- and long-term deterrent effects on expression, and should be avoided as a matter of law and policy” – unquote. Exactly these interferences by the Russian Federation became the reason for the recent banning an access to a number of Russian-registered online resources which were operating in Ukraine. This decision was made in full compliance with Article 19 of the ICCPR, which stipulates that certain restrictions can be imposed for the protection of national security and this is, obviously, the case of Ukraine because of the ongoing hybrid aggression of the Russian Federation against my country.

Thank you.