Anlässlich des Gedenktages der Deportation der Krim-Tartaren im Jahr 1944 durch die Sowjetunion hat die Paneuropa-Union Ukraine folgende Erklärung über die Krim als Bestandteil der Ukraine veröffentlicht:
Kyiv, May 17, 2018
Crimean Peninsula is an integral part of Ukraine, interconnected with the rest of our country through culture, history and economy. Starting from 2014 Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, situated on the peninsula, have been occupied by the Russian armed forces and upon holding a fake referendum – annexed by the Russian Federation.
Being the first and only such act in the XXI century, this act of aggression has violated numerous international and intergovernmental agreements. It breached provisions of the Agreement establishing the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Memorandum on Security Assurances in connection with Ukraine’s accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, the Agreement between Ukraine and the Russian Federation on the status and conditions of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine, the Treaty on Friendship, cooperation and partnership between Ukraine and the Russian Federation, as well as other treaties.
Since the annexation the international community has witnessed numerous violations of human rights on the occupied and annexed territories, and these were only those cases of human rights violations that had become known to the public.
Thus, we recall wide known illegal detentions, arrests and convictions made in the case of so-called „Crimean terrorists“, when Oleg Sentsov, Alexander Kolchenko, Gennady Afanasyev and Olexiy Czyrnyi were prosecuted, and in the case of „February 26th“ when Ilmi Umerov and Akhtem Chyihoz were sentenced to imprisonment. Additionally, we draw public attention to lesser known cases, such as the persecution of Volodymyr Balukh, Mykola Shyptur, Evhen Panov and dozens of others.
In addition to obvious brutal violations of human rights during the illegal prosecution, international and Ukrainian human rights activists note numerous violations of rights to a freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, freedom of speech, which was exemplified by a search in the mosque of the Islamic Cultural Center in Simferopol on September 5, 2016, search of a boarding school for gifted children in the village of Tankove and dozens of other searches in madrasah, mosques, churches and houses of prayer, by the persecution and hate speech used against Muslims, Orthodox and Protestant Christians.
We also note numerous violations of property rights. Thus, according to the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, almost 4,000 Ukrainian companies and organizations lost their property in Crimea. In addition to that we note denial of property rights or prohibition of property use for religious organizations. Thus, premises of the Cathedral of Holy Olha and Volodymyr (Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kyiv Patriarchy) were auctioned for lease under threat of confiscation. Several churches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kyiv Patriarchy were taken from the communities: in Kerch (Osovino village), Sevastopol, Yana Kapu (Krasnoperekopsk). The church in Perevalne village was taken away from the community and subsequently transferred to the Moscow Patriarchate.
Moreover, illegal control over Crimea leads to significant deterioration in the living conditions of all inhabitants of the peninsula, since forcefully applied Russian legislation is much harsher than Ukrainian. E.g., the residents of the peninsula may be forcibly drafted into the Russian Army and sent to serve outside the peninsula.
In addition, the Russian authorities are trying to forcibly change demographic and political structure of Crimean population, forcing the local population to receive Russian passports and creating conditions for the mass migration from Russia to Crimea.
Pan-European Union of Ukraine strongly condemns illegal annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol as that which violates international law and contributes to atmosphere of lawlessness and hatred on the Crimean Peninsula. Such actions are unacceptable in the XXI century Europe.
Pan-European Union of Ukraine notes that Crimea and Sevastopol were and continue to remain Ukrainian territories, though forcefully occupied and illegally annexed. We thank all Europeans who continuously stand up against such actions of Russian authorities; and we strongly condemn actions of certain European politicians aimed to create the impression of any public support by Europeans for illegal annexation.
Foto: https://static.ukrinform.com/photos/2016_03/thumb_files/630_360_1458142098-5411.jpg
