Do not legitimise the occupation: Mexican and Brazilian museums urged to refrain from collaborating with institutions in occupied territories

Ukrainian and international civil society organizations condemn the intentions to establish a partnership between the so-called “Russian Gallery of Arts” – a museum institution established by a directive of the Government of the Russian Federation on the temporarily occupied territory of the Crimean Peninsula, in the city of Sevastopol – and the Anahuacalli Museum (Mexico City, Mexico) and the Lasar Segall Museum (São Paulo, Brazil).

This initiative raises serious concern as it may constitute a direct challenge to the norms of international law, particularly the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the non-recognition of unlawful territorial acquisitions. As reaffirmed in numerous United Nations General Assembly resolutions – including Resolution ES-11_1 of 2022, which was supported by Mexico and Brazil – violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine and inconsistent with

the principles of the UN Charter. The Autonomous Republic of Crimea remains an integral part of Ukraine, temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation. His Excellency Juan Ramón de la Fuente Ramírez, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, has also publicly reaffirmed Mexico’s support for the sovereignty of Ukraine. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has also publicly reiterated Brazil’s support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity.

Engagement with institutions, established and operated by the Russian Federation as the occupying power, is inconsistent with international humanitarian law and with universally recognized standards in the field of cultural heritage and museology. Such cooperation risks contributing to the de facto recognition of the occupying authorities, facilitates the legitimization of violations of international law, and may be interpreted as contravening the principle of non-recognition of territorial gains acquired through the threat or use of force.

Since the onset of the occupation of Crimea in 2014, the Russian Federation has actively pursued a cultural policy on the occupied territory aimed not at preserving heritage, but at ideologically reconfiguring it in a manner beneficial to the occupying power. Museum institutions operating under occupation have engaged in unlawful and destructive archaeological excavations at more than 1100 sites, including the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Ancient City of Tauric Chersonese and its Chora. Approximately 14 million cultural properties have been removed, many of which, including works by Ukrainian artists, have been transferred to museums within the Russian Federation, where they are used to promote narratives that justify the occupation and deny the cultural identity of both Ukraine and the Crimean Tatar people.

Any form of international cooperation with such entities, even indirect, may therefore be regarded as a breach of the principle of due diligence in international partnerships and may inadvertently support the policies of occupation, undermine cultural rights, and distort historical truth. Such actions may also be inconsistent with Mexico’s and Brazil’s international obligations as UN Member States committed to the peaceful settlement of disputes and respect for international law.

On behalf of civil society, we respectfully urge the Anahuacalli Museum (Mexico City, Mexico) and the Lasar Segall Museum (São Paulo, Brazil) to refrain from any form of cooperation with cultural institutions established or controlled by the Russian Federation on the occupied territories of Ukraine, and to abstain from participation in events involving such entities. Such a decision would represent a principled act of solidarity with the international legal order, with affected communities, and with those working to safeguard cultural heritage under conditions of armed conflict.

Statement to the Anahuacalli Museum (Mexico) in Ukrainian, English and Spanish.

Application to the Lazaro Segal Museum (Brazil) in Ukrainian, English and Portuguese.

Signed by:

1. NGO “Crimean Process”
2. NGO “Regional Center for Human Rights”
3. Human Rights Centre ZMINA
4. NGO “Media Initiative for Human Rights”
5. International Partnership for Human Rights
6. NGO “Association of Relatives of Political Prisoners of the Kremlin”
7. NGO “Crimean Human Rights Group”
8. Public Union “Human Rights House Crimea”
9. Ukrainian Legal Advisory Group
10. Human Rights Educational House – Chernihiv
11. NGO “Crimea SOS”