The UN General Assembly Commission this Wednesday adopted a resolution recognizing the Russian occupation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea as illegal and condemning “violations and abuses of human rights” committed against the population of the area.
A text on the human rights situation in Crimea, promoted by Ukraine and some of its allies, was approved by 78 votes, including Portugal, 14 against and 79 abstentions.
In a resolution, the Third Committee of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly “demands that the Russian Federation immediately cease its aggression against Ukraine and unconditionally withdraw all its armed forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.”
The document also contains appeals to Moscow regarding the situation in Crimea, which was occupied in 2014 and subsequently annexed.
Measures are required to put an immediate end to all human rights violations and abuses, condemning, for example, arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and torture.
The 14-page text calls on Russia to immediately release “illegally detained citizens of Ukraine” and those who were forcibly transferred to Russian territory; respect freedom of speech, association and peaceful assembly, as well as ensure the availability of education in Ukrainian and Tatar for the population.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the adoption of the resolution on his Twitter, thanking the countries that “changed their minds” and supported it.
“This war began with Crimea and will end with Crimea. Our peninsula will be liberated, like all Ukrainian lands,” Zelensky stressed.
Although passed, Wednesday’s resolution received much less support than others that Ukraine and its allies have proposed since the start of the Russian invasion in February, which have usually been passed by overwhelming votes.
The military offensive launched on February 24 by Russia in Ukraine has already caused the flight of more than 13 million people – more than six million internally displaced people and more than 7.7 million – to European countries – according to the latest UN figures. which classifies this refugee crisis as the worst in Europe since World War II (1939-1945).
The Russian invasion, justified by Russian President Vladimir Putin on the need to “denazify” and demilitarize Ukraine for Russia’s security, was condemned by the international community as a whole, which responded by sending weapons to Ukraine and imposing political and economic sanctions on Russia.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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