HRC 50 - EU Statement: Interactive Dialogue on the High Commissioner’s Oral Presentation on Ukraine and the Interim Report of the Secretary-General on Human Rights in Crimea

Mr. President,

The EU thanks the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General for their important reports on the human rights situation in Ukraine.

We condemn in the strongest possible terms violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law committed in Ukraine in the context of Russia’s war of aggression.

We remain appalled by the indiscriminate attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, malls and train stations. Such methods of warfare constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law and could amount to war crimes. We are shocked by the use of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, arbitrary and extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances and conflict related sexual and gender-based violence. Reports of forcible transfers and deportation of Ukrainian civilians to Russia, including unaccompanied children and allegations of illegal adoptions are deeply preoccupying, as well as abduction and detention of civilians, including mayors and other democratically elected representatives, journalists and human rights defenders.

We are also gravely concerned by the significant deterioration of already dire human rights situation in the Crimean Peninsula, where residents, including journalists, human rights defenders and defence lawyers, face intimidation and systematic restrictions of their human rights and fundamental freedoms. The Crimean Tatars continue to be unacceptably persecuted, arbitrarily arrested and detained. We urge the Russian Federation and Ukraine to facilitate unimpeded access to Crimea by international and regional human rights monitoring mechanisms.

 We condemn the widespread disinformation campaigns of Russia seeking to justify its war of aggression against Ukraine and atrocities of Russian armed forces.

The EU supports the measures taken to ensure accountability, including the work of the Commission of Inquiry established by this Council and the work of the International Criminal Court and national jurisdictions. Those responsible for violations of international law must be held accountable. We express our full support also to the work of the Human Rights Monitoring Mission Ukraine and the work of experts under the Moscow Mechanism of the OSCE.

We reiterate our strongest call on Russia to fully comply with its obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and to implement with immediate effect the provisional measure order rendered by the International Court of Justice on 16 March. We call on Russia to end its war of aggression against Ukraine and to withdraw all forces and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine immediately and unconditionally.

We reiterate our support for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders.

Madam High Commissioner, how can the international community better work collectively towards the prevention of further violations of IHL and IHRL in Ukraine?

Thank you.