STATEMENT
by H.E. Mr. VADYM PRYSTAIKO,
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
at the High-Level Segment
of the 43rd regular session of the Human Rights Council
(Geneva, 24 February 2020)
Madam President,
I wish to convey my country’s words of continued support of High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet and her Office as well as reiterate our confidence in her experience and determination in standing up for human rights.
Distinguished delegates,
The year that has passed since the last High-Level Segment has seen a surge in the debates on the significance of human rights for progress in an increasingly globalized world, and the role of universal institutions in their protection and promotion.
While the end of the 20th century was full of promise, the trends of today give grounds for profound concern. At the same time, indifference and connivance – including at the highest levels - is taking hold.
It is in this situation that the role of the United Nations, in all its facets and components, should become indispensable – as a standard-setter and an impartial but passionate watchdog in the area of human rights.
We fully share the view of the High Commissioner, that “no Government, no monarch, no leader can be viewed as free of accountability. And the law must be the same for everyone, protecting all from violations and abuses”.
The need to mainstream the human rights dimension into all major aspects of United Nations activities has been repeatedly emphasized by many, and Ukraine was one of them.
We fully subscribe - yet again - to the idea that without making human rights a vital component of each and every effort on the path to peace, security and sustainable development, the international community cannot progress enough in these endeavours.
Yet a disconnect persists.
This morning, I arrived here from across the Atlantic where I participated in a General Assembly debate and held a number of meetings with delegations and the UN leadership.
It was hard to get rid of the impression that Geneva and New York continue to be divided, both ideologically and methodologically, in their approach to human rights dimension as part of everyday routine.
Apparently, a clear political will is still in short supply to systematically consider human rights in the context of conflict prevention and crisis settlement. Human rights is a business for Geneva, we hear quite often in New York, and the “politicization” label is still in broad use.
This is hardly acceptable. And this is why we repeat our call: The natural link and the integrity of action of the entire UN system, among its principal pillars - according to the design of its founders - must be restored.
That said, the Human Rights Council’s central role in this process cannot be overlooked. It is thus imperative that its reform should go beyond efficiency questions.
We should not allow the Council to get caught up in a multitude of issues at the expense of practical discussions on real human rights issues in situations of armed conflict and, especially, foreign occupation.
The Council has recently been criticized by many NGOs that the human rights index of its membership is lower than that of the General Assembly membership.
It does not mean that the HRC has lost its credibility.
The Council is not only about the high quality of documents, rightful objectives or wonderful speeches. The Council is about concrete deeds to prove that its work has a meaningful practical impact on the ground.
Madam President,
The practical contribution of the Council to conflict settlement is of special relevance for my country, which continues to face grave human rights violations due to ongoing armed aggression and foreign occupation of parts of its territory.
Six years ago, Ukraine invited the UN to deploy a monitoring mission with a primary task to monitor and report on these violations in the occupied Crimea and eastern parts of Donbas.
We continue to closely cooperate with the Mission and highly value its activities.
OHCHR reports serve as a valuable source of information on the situation on the ground in the temporarily occupied territories and have been used as a basis for the HRC’s Interactive Dialogues on Ukraine.
Yet, we have to work to ensure that the Mission has unimpeded access throughout the entire country to monitor and report on the human rights situation in the occupied territories.
Despite numerous resolutions and decisions of the United Nations organs and other international organizations, we continue to witness a total disregard for international law by the occupying power. That includes denial of entry for international human rights mechanisms to Crimea, obstruction of activities of humanitarian and human rights organizations in the occupied areas of Donbas, refusal to allow access to detainees, including for ICRC.
In the occupied territories of Ukraine, of Georgia, an atmosphere of fear has been created and maintained, while civic space has ceased to exist and the rule of law completely obliterated. A covert demographic change is in progress. The latest UN Secretary-General report, along with regular OHCHR reports extensively reflect this grim reality.
Taking this opportunity, I wish to invite you this afternoon to the Ministerial Panel discussion “Human Rights situation in Crimea and Ukrainian hostages of the Kremlin”. Two Crimeans, former political hostages Volodymyr Balukh and Edem Bekirov, will share their gruesome experiences. Names of both were repeatedly called in this room, with an appeal to immediately release them. Thanks to international solidarity, both were freed in September 2019, as part of the mutual prisoners’ release. However, many innocent Ukrainians still remain behind bars in the occupied territories and in Russia.
Distinguished delegates,
Despite tremendous challenges, Ukraine, as a responsible member of the Human Rights Council, continues to actively engage in international endeavours to defend, promote and protect human rights globally, to prevent their abuses and enhance the international community’s response to emerging threats to human security and human rights.
I wish to assure that Ukraine is ready to work hard further on these tasks, together with all our partners.
I thank you.