The Ukrainian parliament has noted the harassment and non-observance of the rights of Ukrainians in Russia.
A total of 229 MPs out of the 321 registered in the parliament’s
session hall on Tuesday voted for a statement of the Verkhovna Rada of
Ukraine on the harassment and non-observance of the rights of Ukrainians
in Russia and urgent measures to meet the national, cultural and
linguistic needs of Ukrainians living abroad (No. 4046).
The Verkhovna Rada noted the poor state of the rights and freedoms of
the Ukrainian minority in Russia, the harassment and non-observance of
the rights of Ukrainians in Russia.
The parliament also noted a negative trend regarding the significant
and systemic deterioration in recent years of the situation related to
the cultural, linguistic, educational, informational, and religious
needs of the Ukrainian community in Russia.
According to the parliament, discriminatory conditions for the
functioning of the Ukrainian national minority do not meet Russia’s
international obligations.
The statement notes that there are serious challenges and threats to
the preservation of national identity and free development of Ukrainians
in Russia.
The Verkhovna Rada also said that the further development of
Ukrainian-Russian humanitarian relations should be based on a parity
basis, with the provision of equal rights and opportunities to Russians
in Ukraine and Ukrainians in Russia.
The Ukrainian parliament drew the attention of the international
community to the need for Russia to observe its international
obligations on human rights observance and to ensure the needs of
minorities and urged the UN, the OSCE, the Council of Europe and the
European Parliament to intervene in the situation and take it under
control.
