Guarantee accountability for human rights violations
On the exchange of views between the EP’s Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Committee on Human Rights, National Minorities and Interethnic relations of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine
An exchange of views was held on 12 October 2017 with the Committee on Human Rights, National Minorities and Interethnic relations of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, with the participation of Ms Valeriya Lutkovska, Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights, representatives of civil society organisations and European institutions.
Following the exchange of views, Mr Pier Antonio Panzeri (Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights) and Mr Dariusz Rosati (Chair of the EP’s Delegation to the EU-Ukraine Association Committee) stated:
"We discussed a wide range of issues affecting the human rights situation and challenges in the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories of Crimea and Eastern Ukraine. We expressed our firm condemnation of the illegal annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol and the occupation of some regions of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, in breach of international law and of Russia’s commitments and obligations under its membership of international organizations.
We fully support the peaceful reintegration of these territories and call for accountability for serious human rights violations. We remain deeply concerned over the growing number of illegally detained Ukrainian citizens in the temporarily occupied territories who have been arrested, sentenced and imprisoned by the Russian authorities, and we call for their immediate release.
We are determined to enhance our inter-parliamentary dialogue and cooperation on Ukraine’s reforms related to human rights and linked to the Association Agreement, including in the fields of anti-corruption, minority rights, the situation of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), anti-discrimination, freedom of expression and media.
We are convinced of the positive impact that our cooperation and dialogue with our Ukrainian counterparts can have on the consolidation and strengthening of Ukraine’s domestic institutions and oversight bodies, and on its accession to and effective participation in international human rights mechanisms. Parliaments as well as civil society organisations have a crucial role to play in monitoring human rights violations and overseeing the implementation of human rights commitments."
Contacts:
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Emilie TOURNIER
Press Officer