In its intervention at the United Nations Human Rights Council at the occasion of a debate with the Deputy Secretary General of the UN, the Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF) raised the problem of accountability for human rights violations in Ukraine and the need for an investigation by the International Criminal Court.
HRHF welcomed the referral to the International Criminal Court by the Ukrainian authorities. HRHF further called upon the Government of Ukraine to issue a declaration extending ICC jurisdiction from 21 November 2013 until the date of the entry into force of the Rome Statute for Ukraine and hope to hear a similar call by the High Commissioner
ICC investigation would indeed be a mean to hold those responsible for human rights violations in Eastern Ukraine accountable. We welcome that the Mission and the High Commissioner in his latest report have been clear in documenting violence by armed troupes supported by the Russian Federation in Ukraine. The Human Rights Council needs to address the responsibility of those supporting armed forces in Ukraine. The Russian NGO Soldiers’ Mothers of Saint Petersburg recently denounced the deaths of Russian soldiers in Ukraine. As a result, on 29 August 2014, Soldiers’ Mothers of Saint Petersburg was forcefully included in the official registry as a “foreign agent”.
As documented by the High Commissioner in his report to the Human Rights Council, the de facto annexation of Crimea raises particular concern, especially in regard of the replacement of existing laws by Russian legislation and the situation of minorities, including Crimean Tatars. We are concerned by the high number of reported internally displaced people fleeing Crimea. HRHF called upon all parties to support the humanitarian action carried out by Ukrainian civil society, including in their assistance to those who flee Eastern Ukraine, especially Crimea.
HRHF also called upon Ukrainian authorities and the international community to acknowledge the work carried out by human rights NGOs in Ukraine since end of November. Ukrainian human rights defenders aimed at supporting peaceful demonstrators and documenting human rights violations during EuroMaidan, including the widespread use of torture and the killings by law enforcement agencies. Today, civil society is at the forefront to push for democratic reforms in Ukraine, whilst documenting high-scale human rights violations in Eastern Ukraine and Crimea. Leaders in all sectors of society should acknowledge publicly the important and legitimate role of those human rights defenders and Ukrainian authorities should in a more proactive manner reach out to them in order to ensure adequate reform processes and accountability for human rights violations.
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