UN denounces anarchy and persecution in Eastern Ukraine

The UN has denounced Friday the increasing lawlessness in eastern Ukraine and the atmosphere of persecution against reporters, activists or politicians who are or may seem conducive to the unity of the country, nine days before the presidential election.

After the aggravation of the crisis and the expansion of the movement of pro-Russian insurrection in the eastern regions of Donetsk and Lugansk, the human rights office of the United Nations deployed a mission of 34 observers in the country. This Friday, the UN has published the second report prepared by representatives from 2 April to 6 May. The document denounces the “increased abductions and unlawful arrests ” of journalists are the main victims.

Local officials, political activists and even police officers have suffered arbitrary arrests. Many have been missing for several days, others remain missing and reported the discovery of some dead. Not all cases, however, attributed to pro-Russian armed groups. Credible allegations of detainees are also mentioned and transferred to Kiev by the security forces, whose status – between the time of arrest and clarify his whereabouts, ” tantamount to enforced disappearance.”

The report notes that most of the attacks occur in Slaviansk informants, one of the main focuses of the pro-Russian insurrection and whose responsibility to the ” Unit Slaviansk Self Defense ” is attributed. UN says checkpoints in that city there are lists of the names of journalists and others who are being sought, with photographs and personal data. “The struggle for control of the media continues in Ukraine, particularly in the east,” the document reads.

The UN devotes six of the 34 pages of its report on the situation in Crimea after its annexation by Russia, formalized through the signing of a treaty between the authorities of the two parties on 18 March. On the peninsula states that the application of the Russian legislation is creating serious problems for residents on issues such as nationality, access to treatment or the freedom of press and expression.

Residents in Crimea Ukrainian nationality should ask to be recognized as Russians until April 18, were given just a month – and that did not meet this deadline ” I now face harassment and intimidation.” For those who have not applied for Russians, the UN calls for them to guarantee their right to property and land, access to education and health, and that they will not withdraw welfare benefits normally associated with nationality.

Shortly after the release of the report, Gianni Magazzeni, head for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, explained to reporters that the situation of the Tartars, who are the vast majority of the 7,200 people leaving Crimea after the annexation, represents a major concern for the United Nations. They have become displaced in other parts of Ukraine and their number has more than doubled in a month, has warned the official.

The Tatar community fears persecution for professing the Muslim religion, especially after local authorities banned the activities of an Islamist political group that worked smoothly for over a decade.

The Russian authorities have reacted minutes after being released report. Accuse the human rights section of the UN of trying to ” cover up” the authorities in Kiev. The Kremlin maintains that the report ” completely lacks objectivity” and is full of ” inconsistencies”.

On unresolved issues from the pro-European protests in Kiev in late 2013 and early this year, the report mentions that 46 murders are attributed to riot police and 83 people remain missing.

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Posted by Maleeha Tareen on May 18 2014. Filed under Europe. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.