CrimeaSOS reported about russia’s crimes in Crimea during the Council of Europe event

CrimeaSOS reported on russia’s crimes in the occupied Crimea during a round table organized by the Office of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. CrimeaSOS co-coordinator Iryna Datsenko told us about this.

“Gross violations of provisions of international law by russia in the occupied Crimea once again demonstrate that the way to stop these violations is to de-occupy the peninsula as soon as possible. That is why it is important to keep the topic of Crimea in the focus of the international community”, – Iryna Datsenko noted.

On December 20, the Council of Europe held a round table “Situation with human rights in the occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine – developments as a result of russian armed aggression” in Strasbourg. The event began with video addresses by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejčinović Burić and the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović. The Permanent Representative of Iceland to the Council of Europe, the Chair of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, Ms. Ambassador Ragnhildur Arnljótsdóttir and the Director General Human Rights and the Rule of Law of the Council of Europe Christos Giakoumopoulos joined the event in person. 

“The Council of Europe can help bringing russia to justice for crimes committed in Crimea. For example, the international organization can encourage member states to introduce sanctions and use universal jurisdiction mechanisms to prosecute individuals involved in gross human rights violations in the occupied Crimea”, —Iryna Datsenko added.

Since the beginning of the occupation of Crimea, russia has systematically violated human rights on the peninsula. Currently, 147 people are victims of politically motivated persecution in the temporarily occupied Crimea, 109 of them are Crimean Tatars. The total term of imprisonment of current political prisoners is 1339 years and 2 months.We would like to remind you that Great Britain has imposed sanctions against two FSB employees involved in gross violations of human rights in Crimea since 2014.