Human Rights Council
25th session
item 9 General Debates
Intervention by the Permanent Representative of Ukraine,
Ambassador Yurii KLYMENKO
(Geneva, March 25, 2014)
Mr. President,
Touching upon crucially important spectrum of issues under agenda item before us now, I wish to draw attention to the deteriorating situation with the national minorities` rights in Crimea, occupied by the Russian Federation, and their discrimination.
We would like, once again, to emphasize unimaginable misinterpretation by the Russian Federation of real facts in order to justify its aggression and to create pseudo-legitimate reasons for the annexation of the territory of Ukraine.
On top of that - an increasing rhetoric on the falsified facts of alleged violations of rights of the Jewish community against the background of vast evidence about the absence of such violations. On March 5th a group of Jewish community leaders disproved all Russian allegations in their open letter to the President of the Russian Federation.
It looks cynical and hypocritical, taking into account the real situation in Russia itself, where ultra-right wing organizations` activities, in particular with strong anti-Semitic sentiments, are expanding.
Credible reports indicate of harassment cases on the part of the Russian invaders and illegitimate self-proclaimed authorities of Crimea against ethnic Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars. It was announced that Crimean Tatars will be evicted from some of their land, as it was claimed, for, quote, “infrastructure projects”.
The deteriorating human rights situation on the peninsula has caused flows of the Crimean population, warmly received in the Western regions of Ukraine, which the Russian propaganda scares the international community with.
I also cannot fail to mention the poor situation with the rights of the Ukrainian minority in Russia. The relevant information was early circulated as an official document of the current session.
Mr. President,
We demand the Russian Federation to stop hiding the truth, to stop using far-fetched reasons, to allow access of all observer missions to Crimea and to ensure protection of the rights of all nationalities living in Crimea.
Although the best way to put an end to discriminative practice in Crimea is to stop immediately the unprovoked military occupation of the peninsula by the Russian Federation.
I thank you.