Statement by the Lublin Triangle States at the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders
Delivered by H.E. Darius Staniulis, Ambassador of Lithuania to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva during the UN Human Rights Council's 49th session
I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the countries of Lublin Triangle – Poland, Ukraine and Lithuania.
We thank the Special Rapporteur for her latest report.
Creating a safe and enabling environment for civil society, including for human rights defenders, is a responsibility of every state.
Russia’s brutal, fully unprovoked and unjustified aggression against Ukraine has re-opened darkest pages of human history. We are extremely concerned about the human rights defenders and other vulnerable groups that might be exposed to persecution by the aggressor.
In fact, there were already cases of cold blooded exectutions of peaceful human rights activists and volunteers who were trying to help residents of besieged Ukrainian cities. We strongly condemn these acts, which amount to war crimes.
We also firmly reject any attempt of politically motivated persecutions, arbitrary arrests and detentions, torture, and killings directed at those, who speak up against Russia’s full-scale invasion in Ukraine. We call on Russia and Belarus to abide by international law and the core principles that protect human life and human dignity.
Madam Lawlor, how the international community could help to ensure adequate level of protection for the human rights defenders in conflict situations?
Thank you.
