Ukraine at OSCE: Number of illegal detentions in occupied Crimea tripled

“According to the data collected by the non-governmental organization Crimean Tatar Resource Center, over the first half of 2021, the number of illegal searches conducted by the Russian occupiers in the houses of Crimean residents reached 33 against 23 in the first half of 2020. The number of illegal detentions rose from 48 to 156, compared to the same period last year,” Ambassador Yevhenii Tsymbaliuk, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the International Organizations in Vienna, drew attention to the growing persecution in Crimea at the OSCE Permanent Council meeting on July 29, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

He said that the charges brought against these people were based primarily on allegations that they belonged to organizations banned in Russia, denial of forced conscription, so-called terrorism or even high treason.

“We strongly condemn Russia’s policy of silencing the voices of dissidents in the temporarily occupied areas of Ukraine. We remind the Russian side that the local civilian population is protected by the norms of international humanitarian law. It is time for Russia to finally study them,” Tsymbaliuk said.

As a reminder, Ukraine intends to launch on August 23 the Crimean Platform – a new consultative and coordination format initiated by Ukraine to step up the efficiency of international response to the occupation of Crimea, respond to growing security challenges, increase international pressure on Russia, prevent further human rights violations, protect victims of the occupation regime, and achieve the main goal: to de-occupy Crimea and return it to Ukraine.

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