27th session of the UN Human Rights Council
Agenda items 4
General debates
Intervention by the Permanent Representative of Ukraine,
Ambassador Yurii Klymenko
(September 16, 2014)
Mr. President,
My delegation would like to express its deep concern over outspread of fascism and neo-Nazism movement in Russia, that, despite this country`s ostensible anti-fascist rhetoric and Nazism glorification labeling, is dismaying.
According to Russian experts, the number of nationalist and neo-Nazi organizations has exceeded 50 and most of them are functioning in Russia legally. Among them - the ethno-political union “Russkie” (Russians), claims that Russian people are special because they carry phenotype and genotype of the white race. Russian nationalists openly welcome unification of all the Russian people and all the so-called Russian lands into an integral whole.
The forefront mercenaries who set out to south-east Ukraine were members of far-right, neo-Nazi organizations, as, for example, the skinheads` group “Slawyane”. Besides, one of the self-proclaimed pro-Russian leaders of the so-called Donetsk People's Republic Gubarev participated in Russian neo-Nazi movement as well.
Unfortunately, not only they replicate the methods of the struggle for «racial purity» under the political slogan "Russia for Russians".
The authorities themselves find it acceptable to quote Goebbels and admire his talents during the meeting with Jewish communities. The Russian biggest publishers attune the acquisitive children minds to Nazi ideology, printing school diaries with Hitler` portrait and his biography.
If this is not a glorification of Nazism, that’s for sure its popularization!
In addition to that, we are all witnessing how more and more Russian citizens that disagree with the current authorities’ policies, in particular, towards Ukraine, increasingly become the subject of harassment and persecution.
Therefore, we appeal the Council to pay in its work due attention to the mentioned human rights problems in Russia before they pass, in their aggravation, the point of no return.
I thank you.