News

On 9 July, Lithuania took the floor at the Human Rights Council 47th Session’s Interactive Dialogue with the United Nations (UN) Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms Nada Al-Nashif, based on the oral presentation of the human rights situation in Ukraine, and on the presentation of the Interim Report of the UN Secretary-General on the situation of human rights in Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.

Lithuania remains deeply concerned about the continuous severe deterioration of human rights situation in areas of eastern Ukraine not controlled by its government as well as in Crimea and the city of Sevastopol temporarily illegally occupied by the Russian Federation.

“Increasing number of civilian casualties, including children, arbitrary detentions, reported instances of torture and ill-treatment, persecution of Crimean Tatars, continuous restrictions of fundamental freedoms of expression, religion or assembly is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated”,- underlined the Permanent Representative of Lithuania to the UN office and other International Organisations in Geneva Ambassador Andrius Krivas.

Lithuania urged Russia to uphold its obligations under international human rights law and international humanitarian law, to grant unimpeded access to Crimea by international and regional human rights monitoring mechanisms and ensure independent, impartial and effective investigation of all allegations of human rights violations with full accountability for any instances of arbitrary detention, torture and ill-treatment.

Ambassador A. Krivas reiterated Lithuania’s firm support to Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. 

The Human Rights Council is an intergovernmental body made up of 47 States elected by the UN General Assembly. It is responsible for strengthening human rights globally and addressing human rights violations. Lithuania is currently working as an observer and campaigning for membership of the HRC for the term 2022-2024.