Human Rights House Foundation – Intersession statement
High Commissioner’s oral update on Ukraine
8 January 2025
Check against delivery.
Since February 2022, Crimea has been central to Russia’s military operations and a hub for suppressing dissent during its ongoing occupation.
Repression particularly targets the Crimean Tatar community, as well as wider civil society, through arbitrary detentions, disappearances, and politically motivated prosecutions. This is illustrated by the ongoing unjust imprisonment and denial of medical care of Iryna Danylovich, and fines and harassment of journalists like Lutfiye Zudiyeva.
Repressive laws penalize anti-war sentiments, with around 1,000 cases recorded by our partners Crimea SOS since 2022.
Detention facilities like Simferopol’s SIZO-8 are severely overcrowded, and allegedly use torture aginst detainees and prisoners.
President,
We commend the High Commissioner’s reporting of the situation in Ukraine, including Crimea. We call on States to:
- Ensure consistent monitoring and reporting on Crimea, with specific attention to the rights of Crimean Tatars and other marginalised groups.
- Advocate for the release of all political prisoners, and demand unhindered access for independent monitors to all detention facilities in Crimea.
- Continue to support the work of international mechanisms to investigate and pursue accountability for grave violations of human rights in Ukraine, including through the work of the Commission of Inquiry and the International Criminal Court.
Thank you.
