Human rights challenges in Crimea following Russia’s full-scale invasion. Announcement of UN side event

On November 8 at 16:30 (Kyiv time), a virtual event will take place on the sidelines of the 77th UN General Assembly session in the context of a new resolution on Crimea. 

Even prior to Russia’s full-scale Russian of Ukraine in February 2022, Ukrainian and international human rights organizations reported severe human rights violations in occupied Crimea, including enforced disappearances, torture, extrajudicial punishment, politically motivated persecution, and deprivation of liberty. 

Occupied Crimea was consistently ranked as unfree on global freedom indices and the annual UN General Assembly resolutions pointed to ongoing human rights abuses on the peninsula. 

In the eighth month of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, occupied Crimea remains a location of severe human rights violations. As of September 13, 2022, at least 140 citizens of Ukraine were deprived of liberty due to politically and/or religiously motivated criminal prosecution. Increasingly draconian laws limiting the freedom of assembly, association, expression and opinion in Russia continue to be applied in occupied Crimea. 

The online event will provide an opportunity for civil society organizations to share new wide-ranging research and documentation on human rights violations in Crimea, as well as the human rights implications for increasing militarization of the peninsula. 

Key topics: 

• What are the most pressing human rights issues in Crimea today, and how is the situation changing in light of Russia’s renewed invasion of Ukraine? 

• What role do UN member states and the General Assembly have in addressing the human rights situation? 

Opening remarks: Sergiy Kyslytsya, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN. 

Speakers: 

• Tetiana Pechonchyk, Human Rights Centre ZMINA / Human Rights House Crimea / Ukraine 5AM Coalition  
• Olga Skrypnyk, Crimean Human Rights Group / Human Rights House Crimea / Ukraine 5AM Coalition  
• Dr Rory Finnin, Professor of Ukrainian Studies, Cambridge University  

Moderated by: Dave Elseroad, Human Rights House Foundation 

Contact person: Dave Elseroad / dave.elseroad@humanrightshouse.org / +41 78 344 36 18.