EUROLEADER and EAST UKRAINIAN HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS CENTRE
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21st of September – Peace march in Moscow In Moscow, St. Petersburg and other cities in Russia and in other countries around the world on September 21st the “Peace March”was held in support of Ukraine and against the aggression of Russia. In columns people were with Ukrainian and Russian flags. The participants of the March carried banners with the names and photographs of those killed in the fightings in the Donbass, in the hands of some of the participants blue and yellow balls were and also wreaths of flowers. During the procession serious incidents have not been reported, but at some points along the route for protections groups of people were seen who spoke against the March and they threw tomatoes, eggs and shoes at the participants of the March. As TV channel “Dozhd” reported ,the representatives of the “Union of observers of Russia” (SONAR) calculated the participants of the “Peace March” near the frame metal detectors, the final figure was 26.1 thousand person. At this action there were the columns from the party “Yabloko” movement “Solidarity”, “Progress Party” members of the nationalist forces that oppose “against the war and against the empire” and others. The participants of the Peace March were proclaiming the slogans “No war!”, “Putin! It is already enough of this war!”, “Hands off from Ukraine”.
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EUROLEADER 2014 Despite the peace agreement in Donetsk military actions continue
The night from 21 to 22 September in Donetsk was without active hostilities, but on Monday morning in the Petrovsky and Kirovsky regions of the city there were heard sounds of bursts and explosions. For the past 24 hours as a result of shells falling the metal containers on the market “Trudovska” in the Petrovsky district and warehouses at the address Putilov Grove 2 in the Kievsky region were destroyed. Also the pipelines are damaged. According to the JSC “Donetskmiskgaz” in the beam, between the Kalinin street and Rosa Luxemburg street and on the street Fedorov the underground pipelines of medium pressure are punched. In the village of Flora, on the street Slepneva 82a, the shell fragments at the height of 6m damaged the high pressure pipeline with a diameter of 530 mm. On the street Olimpieva 172, shell fragments damaged the distribution pipeline. There is no a gas supply of 18 houses of the private sector. On the morning of Monday 21st of September the situation in the city was constantly tense. Utilities worked. The emergency crews of energy supply companies and JSC “Donetskmiskgaz” are working to restore the damaged networks in the Petrovsky, Kievsky and Kuibyshev district. On September 22 in Donetsk 5 apartment buildings, 709 houses of the private sector were left without gas, in total 1296 customers and 28 enterprises. Company “Water of Donbas” is working to restore the inlet conduit damaged by the projectile shelling on September 20-21. The extents of damage are assessed as serious. On this conduit the work of the Kuibyshev water supply hub of CE “Donetskmiskvodokanal”depends and accordingly water supply of the Leninsky, Kuibyshevsky and the part of the Kyivsky districts (Railway Station Square). On Sunday in these areas specialists of the CE “Donetskmiskvodokanal” managed to supply water from 19 to 21 o’clock. Today, employees of the company are working hard to supply water in the same mode. The Commander in Chief of NATO in Europe Philip Bridlav believes that the ceasefire in the Donbass is applicable only in words. He said this at a press briefing after meeting with NATO commanders in Vilnius (Lithuania), reports BBC. “The number of shots and the usage of artillery in the last few days can be in a way a level that corresponds to the ceasefire” - the Bridlav said. He also added that last week some of the Russian forces operating in Ukraine, returned to Russia, but they may be back in Ukraine.
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EUROLEADER 2014 Systematic human rights problems on the peninsula Crimea
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Well - known human rights activist Andrey Kiselev and Andrey Drevytskyy outraged because of systemic human rights violations on the Crimean peninsula and require the Ukrainian government and the international community more actively be engaged in the protection of civil rights and civil liberties on the temporarily occupied Crimea and the Eastern Ukraine, because the citizens of Ukraine feel insecure and abandoned. Enforced disappearance of the proUkrainian and Crimean Tatar activists, many of whom have faced torture and ill-treatment. Thus, the body of the Crimean Tatar Reshat Ametov that participated in the anti-Russian meeting was found two weeks later with signs of tortures. There is still no information about the disappeared pro-Ukrainian activists in May (Timur Shaymardanov, Seyran Zinedine Leonid Korzh). Unknown is the fate of the Sevastopol resident Basil Chernysh - Avtomaydan activist who disappeared in March. The situation is compounded by the ineffective actions of the Crimean authorities and law enforcement agencies regarding the investigation of these episodes. Usage of the paramilitaries (“self-defense”) to maintain public order, patrolling the streets, review of things on trains and at the railway stations. At the same time the representatives of the Crimean “selfdefense” regularly violated the rights of citizens, often accompanying their actions not only with insults and threats, but also arbitrary detention, removal and damage to property, beatings, including the workers of the media. Thus, now, the activities of the groups of the Crimean self-defense is an instrument of intimidation and one of the main sources of human rights violations in the Crimea. Legalization of their activities within the law “On the national militia - the people’s group of the Republic of Crimea” is likely making that situation only worse. Pressure on the media and harassment of journalists became another systematic violation of human rights on the peninsula. Interference in the media and the work of journalists was in many ways, including damages and confiscation of equipment, usage of force and unlawful detention by the forces of “selfdefense”, dismissals, questioning in the FSS in connection with accusations of “extremism”, prohibition to enter the Crimea, prosecution, seizure of property, etc.. To avoid negative consequences, many journalists have been forced to suspend the professional activities or leave the peninsula.
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EUROLEADER 2014 Systematic human rights problems on the peninsula Crimea
Interrogations, searches and detention by the police, FSS and “people vigilantes” is also one of the systemic violations. Pro and Crimean Tatar activists, including active users of social networks were invited to “conversations”; in some cases, the questioning lasted for six hours, with the ban to make phone calls, seeking a legal advice. There are cases when representatives of FSS without orders and judgments expropriated property of the activists (computers, laptops, recorders, etc.). During the interrogation methods of the psychological pressure were used through criminal prosecution intimidation, accusations of collaboration with “the right sector” terrorists and fascist organizations, separatism and extremism. The illegal actions of FSS of Russia, representatives of “Crimean selfdefense”, “people vigilantes” have led to a significant increase of the fear among the local population about the possible trumped up prosecution, unlawful detention, abduction, force usage. Prohibition of peaceful assembly and association of citizens have become a commonplace on the Crimean peninsula. The Crimean field mission announces of the discriminatory approach of the Crimean authorities to the implementation of these freedoms. First of all, this discrimination concerns the Crimean Tatar and Ukrainian activists and associations (for example - a complete prohibition of the holding of public events on the eve of the 70th anniversary of the deportation of Crimean Tatars in May or Ukrainian Flag Day and Independence Day of Ukraine in August, detention and interrogation of activists and etc..). Moreover, the legislation that is being implemented in the Crimea, is repressive in terms of freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association. For example, a peaceful assembly has, de facto, is permited, penalties for violations at public events are one of the most significant for individuals, the government has resorted to “blanket” prohibitions of actions holding. Regarding unions, their activity is also limited burdensome reporting, norms on “foreign agents” and restrictions on so-called “political activities”, which is interpreted as widely as possible and includes various forms of control over the authorities and influence on public opinion. Restrictions on freedom of movement to the peninsula and from peninsula are proclaimed in connection with the prohibition of a number of people, including leaders of the Crimean Tatar community Mustafa Jemilev and Mr Chubarov, to enter the Crimea. In addition, a significant number of violations of freedom of movement are carried out by the border guards at checkpoints into and out of the Crimea. Thus, at the railway checkpoints (Melitopol, Novooleksiivka) Ukraine border guards took from the train and returned back to the peninsula the citizens of Ukraine with the Crimean registration. Their actions are motivated by Ukrainian border guards to reinforce the border control within the Antiterrorist operation, special requirements for men of 16 to 60 years, some decrees of the Parliament, requirements of a written goal confirmation of the trip purpose, etc. At the rail and road checkpoints Russian border guards do not let Ukrainians go from The Crimea, who at this moment did not fix the photo having from 25 to 45 years old or they lost a passport. In addition, the documented cases of a denial of exit from the Crimea to children aged 14 to 16 years, as in Russia they get a passport in the age of 14. We believe that the human rights situation in the Crimea will change for the better only when there will be a strong civil society. tel.: +38 (099) 305-71-71
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