EU Statement – UN General Assembly 3rd Committee: Interactive dialogue on human rights in the Russian Federation

Chair,

The EU thanks the Special Rapporteur for her report that sheds light on the deteriorating human rights situation in the Russian Federation.

We are concerned about the findings outlined in the reports of the Special Rapporteur  that torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment are used as state-sanctioned tools of oppression and control in Russia

We reiterate our call on Russia to abolish its repressive legislation and practices, align its legal framework with international human rights law, and comply with its obligations, including those arising from the ICCPR. Russia must put in place effective safeguards against arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, torture and other ill-treatment, including sexual and gender-based violence, and immediately and unconditionally release all those arbitrarily detained, including political prisoners and Ukrainian civilians held within Russia and in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

The EU strongly condemns the political misuse of the judiciary, including the criminal prosecution of lawyers for exercising their professional duties. We remain deeply concerned by the closure of civic space and the systematic crackdown on civil society, human rights defenders, independent media, journalists, the democratic opposition, LGBTI persons, Indigenous Peoples, persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minority communities, as well as by reprisals against those cooperating with UN mechanisms.

Russia must ensure accountability for all human rights violations and end discrimination on all grounds. We call on the Russian Federation to cooperate fully with the UN and all special procedures human rights mechanisms, including by granting unhindered access to its territory. 

The EU remains concerned that the outlined, systematic human rights violations are part of a government strategy to control all spheres of life, and to suppress dissent towards its aggressive foreign policy of waging war.

We once again call on Russia to cease its aggression against Ukraine immediately and end all violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.

Madam Special Rapporteur, which avenues do you consider most urgent to ensure accountability and support for victims during your extended mandate?

Thank you.