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President,
We welcome Ukraine’s cooperation with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. We encourage Ukraine to continue its reform efforts and will support them in this. In particular, we urge Ukraine to implement all recommendations in the High Commissioner’s reports.
The reported rise in attacks on media representatives and civil society activists is of great concern. The government has a responsibility to ensure safety and freedom of expression in the run-up to elections.
President,
The human rights situation in the self-proclaimed republics is particularly serious. The de facto authorities must stop the practice of incommunicado detention and ensure access of independent international observers to all places of detention. Access for humanitarian organisations to assist civilians must be further improved.
All parties have an obligation to protect civilians. They must refrain from using weapons with indiscriminate effects and from targeting civilian infrastructure. All use of mines must be avoided. We urge all parties to stop serious conflict-related human rights violations, such as arbitrary detention, torture and ill-treatment.
We reiterate our call on the Russian Federation to grant unimpeded access to Crimea for the UN and other international organisations and observers, and to respect Ukrainian law in accordance with its obligations under international humanitarian law.
Finally, Norway commends the OHCHR’s monitoring of the human rights situation in Ukraine and the support it provides to the Ukrainian government and civil society actors in their efforts to ensure respect for human rights.
Thank you.