OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, Ukrainian authorities discuss human rights violations in Crimea

OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Astrid Thors and the Ukrainian authorities discussed their concerns about human rights violations in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Ukraine, during Thors’ visit to Kyiv and Kharkiv from 16 to 20 March 2015.

Thors has been concerned about reports of ongoing violations of the rights of Crimean Tatars and ethnic Ukrainians since the peninsula was annexed by the Russian Federation last year. She reiterated her long‑standing request for access to Crimea to assess the situation, in line with her mandate. “I call on the authorities in effective control to honour my request to visit the peninsula without delay.”

In Kyiv, she met Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin, Deputy Prime Minister and Culture Minister Kyrylenko, Education Minister Serhiy Kvit, Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Andriy Parubiy and the Chairpersons of various committees, among others. She also met representatives of religious groups, national minorities, civil society and the international community.

Thors also discussed with the authorities the ongoing reforms, including of the constitution. She stressed the need to respect the rights of national minorities in the reform processes, and to pay attention to inclusivity and respect for diversity. “It is essential to consult with all linguistic and ethnic communities and to find balanced solutions that support long-term stability,” she said.

She added that the full implementation of the Minsk documents, including respecting the ceasefire, by all sides would give Ukrainian society the opportunity to build a common future.

She welcomed the Government’s intentions to adopt a national human rights strategy and encouraged the authorities to enhance institutional mechanisms for the protection of the rights of national minorities. “Revising the Law on National Minorities, in line with Ukraine’s international obligations and European best practices, should be part of the human rights strategy,” said Thors.

Meanwhile, Thors reminded the authorities that decentralization, optimization and budget cuts in education can have unintended effects on the education rights of national minorities. While she recognized the necessity of overhauling the education system, she said that such changes should not disproportionately affect minority communities.