Protection of the rights of families of missing persons was discussed in Kyiv. ZMINA took part in the event and called for the importance of not forgetting about Crimea
On December 10, 2024, on International Human Rights Day, a conference dedicated to the protection of the rights of families of missing persons was held in Kyiv. The event was organised by the Media Initiative for Human Rights (MIHR) together with the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP). The event was attended by representatives of the government, NGOs, international partners, as well as over 80 family members of missing persons.
The participants discussed three key issues: the right of families to unite, the right to truth and the right to justice. The conference became an important platform for dialogue between government agencies, civil society and affected families, as well as for sharing experiences and obtaining practical information on support and compensation.
Among the speakers at the conference was Alena Lunova, Advocacy Director of the Human Rights Centre ZMINA. She stressed the importance of working with the families of missing persons and cooperation between NGOs and government agencies.
“We have done a lot during these years of war. The Law on the Status of Persons Missing in Special Circumstances was one of the first to be adopted back in 2018, and this is a significant step. Perhaps we would have written this legislation differently now, but its existence already provides an important basis for work. We have the appropriate search infrastructure, an authorised body, regional centres, and this is very important,” Lunova said, adding that it is important not to forget about Crimea in this regard, as there are also cases of missing persons there that are related to the war.
“The peninsula should not be a blank spot on the map of our response to missing persons. Especially since there are definitely cases of enforced disappearances in Crimea, which are well known to law enforcement agencies,” said Lunova.
Alena LunovaThe Head of the Main Investigation Department of the National Police, Ihor Kalantai, said that 21 people had been subjected to enforced disappearances in occupied Crimea.
The speakers paid special attention to the role of families in this process. “It is very important that families unite, cooperate and jointly advocate for their interests. We, as civil society organisations working with human rights, have to share our knowledge and strengthen these initiatives, because the voice of families is extremely important,” said Alena Lunova.
Olha Reshetylova, Head of the MIHR, also stressed the importance of family unification: “Such family associations are about mutual support, strengthening the voice of victims and establishing interaction with the state and partners. These organisations are becoming an important part of Ukrainian civil society“.
Olha ReshetylovaOlena Bieliachkova, Coordinator of groups of families of prisoners and missing persons, highlighted the role of civil society organisations in this process: “Human rights organisations help families with communication, legal and organisational support. Only through joint efforts can we find, identify and return those who disappeared due to Russian aggression“.
The conference also discussed the difficulties faced by relatives and friends of missing persons, including the need to improve investigation and compensation mechanisms. Matthew Holliday, Director of European Programmes at the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP), noted that the state must ensure proper and effective investigations, provide information to families and bring perpetrators to justice.
“When people go missing, the state has an obligation to conduct an effective, independent and impartial investigation; it must seek to determine their fate, provide information to their families and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice,” said Matthew Holliday.
Matthew HollidayThe event also covered practical aspects of family support. Participants had the opportunity to learn about the possibilities of compensation for damages within the framework of the Register of Damages for Ukraine (RD4U) and filing claims in relation to missing, detained and abducted persons.
Photo: MIHR
