The Permanent Mission of Ukraine organized a meeting today on human rights in occupied territory, specifically in the case of Crimea. Crimea is a peninsula on the Northern Coast of the Black Sea that has been facing deterioration in the free practice of human rights since March 18th, 2014, when the Russian Federation illegally occupied the area. This meeting, led by Ms. Holland, was initiated with a statement by Mr. Sergeyev about the present problem. Ms. Bilych introduced the project and its four parts: the history and context of the situation, a description of the human rights at hand, the remedies for people whose rights have been violated, and the recommendations for organizations worldwide. The Russian Federation has attempted to seize the Ukraine Peninsula, and the goal of the Organization as an international community is to ensure the civil, political, social, economic, and cultural rights of Crimeans.

There have been various organizations that have aided the country and this meeting provided a method of addressing the situation as well as an understanding of the legal framework in the situation. The Organization suggested specific solutions: the United Nation’s special mechanism to monitor fundamental freedoms, such as that from torture or any other inhuman treatment; ways to enable organizing religious meetings; and methods to save confiscated books and access electronic communication. Ms. Sharven discussed the recommendations to demand action, aid, refrain, and act in specific scenarios by working with the UN and the countries involved, and of the creation of Special International Tribunal, special database, and ad hoc markets. The speakers also provided their personal testimonies and individual cases of the injustice they faced. Today’s comprehensive meeting shed light on this occurring crisis on the persecuted people in Crimea by providing a full review on the problem and detailed, feasible solutions.

Meeting: Crimea: Human Rights, Global Security and International Order

Date/Location: Wednesday, December 9th, 2015; 10:00-12:00; Conference Room 11

Speakers: Ms. Mary Holland, Director of the Graduate Legal Skills Program at New York University School of Law, Yuriy Sergeyev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations, Ivanna Bilych, Victor Chinedu Okpara, Ajitha Pichaipillai, Olena Sharven, Matheus Sena

Written By: WIT Representative Jin Yoo

Edited By: WIT Representative Alex Margolick

Photo Credit: HBInretrospect