Russia Expresses Concern Over Rights Violations in the Ukraine at UN Human Rights Council Session

________________________

During the 38th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Genève, the Russian delegation expressed its concern over numerous violations of human rights and freedoms in the Ukraine. In particular, delegation head Olga Chekrizova noted the increasing number of infringements on freedom of speech and attacks on journalists. She said during the discussion on the 22nd quarterly report of the UN mission in the Ukraine:

We share the UN’s concern over the growth of attacks on the freedom to express opinions, the freedom of the media, as well as by physical attacks on journalists. In January-March of this year, there were attacks on 21 media workers and we recorded 71 violations of freedom of speech. We condemn the expulsion of Russian journalists from the Ukraine and the arrest of the RIA Novosti Ukraine chief. Russia is seriously concerned by the persistently high level of arbitrary detention, torture, inhumane treatment, and sexual violence in areas adjacent to the Line of Contact in the Donbass. According to UN estimates, Ukrainian law-enforcement officers are responsible for about 75 percent of those crimes. Just like the observer mission, we’re convinced by stalled investigations into violations related to activities of the Mirotvorets website, and by the emergence of similar databases, such as the Parazyt Centre. The level of hate rhetoric and crimes has been on the rise in Ukrainian society… in the period between 16 February and 15 March, we recorded 23 attacks on dissidents, anti-corruption/human rights activists, and Romani.

The Russian delegation also urged Kiev to follow UN recommendations regarding its biased law on education, which infringes on the right of ethnic minorities to have an education in their native language.

4 July 2018

TASS

http://tass.com/world/1011873

Advertisement