Ukraine submits draft resolution on human rights situation in Crimea to UN

November 8, Ukraine submitted draft resolution on the human rights situation in Crimea and Sevastopol to the Third Committee of the 71st session of the UN General Assembly.

“I am honored to present the draft resolution ‘Human Rights Situation in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol’. This draft resolution is based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, international human rights treaties, and other relevant international instruments and declarations,” UN News Center quoted Ukraine’s representative in the UN Volodymyr Yelchenko as saying.

According to him, 38 delegations became the co-authors of the draft resolution.

The document proposes to condemn “human rights abuses, discriminatory measures and practices against residents of the temporarily occupied Crimea, including the Crimean Tatars, as well as Ukrainians and persons belonging to other ethnic and religious groups, on part of the Russian de facto authorities.”

The draft resolution contains a request to the UN Secretary-General to seek ways and means “allowing safe and unhindered access to Crimea for existing regional and international mechanisms to monitor the human rights situation there.”

The preamble refers to the condemnation of “the temporary occupation by the Russian Federation of a part of the territory of Ukraine – the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol” and confirms “non-recognition of the annexation”.

Russia’s representative Evgeny Zagaynov stated that “the draft is one-sided, biased, and prejudiced” and the Russian delegation would not vote for the draft resolution.