51st session of the UN Human Rights Council

General Debate under agenda Item 3

Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples

Intervention by the delegation of Ukraine

Mr. President,

We welcome the Special Rapporteur and thank for his report.

Ukraine remains committed to the protection of the indigenous peoples. Unfortunately, since 2014 Crimean Tatars - the largest indigenous community in Ukraine’s Crimea - suffer severely under occupation by the Russian Federation.

 To implement Putin’s criminal mobilization the occupation authorities in Crimea have issued thousands of mobilization letters, most of which targeted Crimean Tatars. Russia is purposefully destroying the indigenous people of Ukraine throwing them into a war against their own state.  As Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said, it is another element of Russia’s policy of genocide, another reason for immediate and tough reaction of the whole world.

The conscription of residents of the occupied territories to the ranks of the occupation army is prohibited by Art. 51 of the IV Geneva Convention and is a war crime. And another separate war crime is forcing citizens of Ukraine to participate in hostilities against their own state.

Russia applies the worst practices of the Soviet regime, which in 1944 deported 200 000 Crimean Tatars from their homeland. Now, after putin’s invaders attacked Ukraine seven months ago, the indigenous people of Crimea again have to protect themselves from russian repression, intimidation, arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, killings, denial of the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of speech. Crimean Tatars are deprived of their freedoms, their identity, culture, traditions and mother tongue continue to be under occupation.

Ukraine stands firm with its people. This August along with other countries and international organizations the second Summit of Crimea Platform was held, aimed at de-occupation of Crimea and restoration of the rights of our people on the peninsula.

To this end, we call on the Special Rapporteur to pay special attention to the situation of the indigenous peoples on the occupied territories of Ukraine and reiterate our invitation to pay a country visit to Ukraine

Thank you!