What changed

B100229/2024

B100232/2024

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on 11th year of the occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol by the Russian Federation and the deteriorating human rights situation in occupied Crimea, notably the cases of Iryna Danylovych, Tofik Abdulhaziiev and Amet Suleymanov

The European Parliament,

 having regard to its previous resolutions on Crimea;

 having regard to rule 150 of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas, since theWhereas occupation2024 andmarks annexationthe ofeleventh Crimeayear insince 2014,the humanillegal rightsannexation haveof rapidlyCrimea deteriorated,by withthe restrictionsRussian onFederation fundamentalin freedoms,manifest violationsviolation of indigenous rights,its mobilisationobligations intounder the RussianUN army,Charter, andinternational impositionlaw ofand RussianHelsinki passports;Final Act;

B. whereas Russia has forced Tatars and Ukrainians to leave Crimea while resettling up to 800.000 Russians;

B. Whereas international organisations have since repeatedly documented the continuously worsening violations of human rights and international humanitarian law perpetrated by the occupying authorities in Crimea, including intimidation, invasive house searches, violation of property rights, arbitrary arrest or detention, judicial harassment, torture or ill-treatment, suppression of expression of religion, culture and identity and enforced disappearance;

C. whereas at least 16.000 Ukrainian civilians remain in Russian captivity;

C. Whereas the Russian Federation, as an occupying power, continues to systematically target annexation critics, ethnic Ukrainians and other ethnic, religious or national groups; the Crimean Tatar community, particularly officials of the Mejlis and other Muslim entities;

D. whereas mass detentions on charges of “terrorism,” “extremism,”, “treason,” and “discrediting the Russian army” suppress dissent without fair trials, with over 218 Crimean political prisoners, including 132 Crimean Tatars, many requiring urgent medical care, and at least 65 disappearances;

D. Whereas Mejlis-Kurultai is recognized as the sole legitimate representative of the Crimean Tatar people who have full rights to their historical, cultural, and legal indigenous heritage;

E. whereas Iryna Danylovych, a human rights defender, was sentenced to nearly seven years in prison and suffers severe health deterioration due to inhumane conditions;

E. Whereas Crimean human rights defenders, journalists, lawyers and members of civil society continue to be persecuted, including Iryna Danylovych, Tofik Abdulhaziev, Amet Suleymanov, Emil Kurbedinov, Server Mustafayev, Emir-Usein Kuku, Lutfiye Zudiyeva, Kulamet Ibraimov, Abdureshit Dzhepparov, Edem Semedlyaev, Rustem Kyamilev, Oleksandr Sizikov, Halyna Dovhopola and Lilia Hemedzhy;

F. whereas Tofik Abdulhaziiev, a Crimean Tatar human rights defender, serving 12 years in a Russian prison, remains detained despite health conditions qualifying him for release;

1. Reiterates its condemnation of the illegal occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol by the Russian Federation and reaffirms its commitment to the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders;

G. whereas Amet Suleymanov, a Crimean Tatar journalist with multiple health issues, was sentenced to 12 years in a high-security prison and urgently requires medical care.

2. Calls for the immediate and unconditional release and provision of medical assistance to all human rights defenders and political prisoners in occupied Crimea, and especially to those in dire medical condition such as Tofik Abdulhaziiev, Amet Suleymanov, Iryna Danylovych, Oleksandr Sizikov, and Halyna Dovhopola; denounces the upholding of verdicts against seriously ill individuals, which constitutes a blatant violation of international human rights standards;

1. Reiterates its condemnation of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine; demands Russia immediately end its aggression, withdraw unconditionally from all Ukrainian territory, and compensate Ukraine for damages;

3. Condemns the ongoing persecution of journalists, civil society activists, and human rights defenders in the occupied territories and the deportation of civilians including political prisoners from Crimea to penitentiary institutions across the Russian Federation, contrary to international humanitarian law;

2. Denounces Russia’s human rights violations in Crimea, including attempts to erase Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar identities, and urges compliance with international law; calls on the EU and Member States to support Ukraine’s pursuit of justice, including through universal jurisdiction and a special tribunal for the crime of aggression;

4. Calls for the restoration and reintegration of the Mejlis-Kurultai into the Ukrainian state system;

3. Calls on Russia to release and repatriate all unlawfully detained Ukrainians, including Iryna Danylovych, Tofik Abdulhaziiev, Amet Suleymanov, Oleksandr Sizikov, Ruslan Adburakhmanov, and Rustem Huhuryk; demands detainees receive proper medical care, that their whereabouts be disclosed, and that they be allowed contact with families, lawyers, and international organisations;

5. Condemns the informational isolation imposed trough crackdown on local and foreign media and reiterates its demand for unimpeded access to the occupied territories to be granted to media, regional and international human rights monitoring mechanisms and human rights non-governmental organisations;

4. Reiterates its call to adapt international organisations like the ICRC and UN to better address civilian detainees’ health and locations in Crimea and other occupied territories;

6. Calls for the imposition of EU restrictive measures against law enforcement officials responsible for enforcing Russian law in the illegally annexed territories who have persecuted human rights defenders and committed other human rights violations.

5. Calls on the EU and its Member States to support Crimean civil society, document human rights violations, prosecute perpetrators, and impose additional sanctions on responsible Russian and Belarusian entities and individuals;

7. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Governments and Parliaments of the Member States, the President, Government, and Parliament of the Russian Federation.

6. Calls for the EU to increase efforts ensuring justice, rehabilitation, and reparations for victims of Russian aggression;

7. Urges the EU and its Member States to secure broad international support for Ukraine and a peaceful resolution based on Ukraine’s independence, firm security guarantees, territorial integrity, international law, accountability for war crimes, and reparations from Russia;

8. Calls on the EU and its Member States to facilitate the release and repatriation of unlawfully detained, or deported civilians, adults and children;

9. Urges Russia to ensure a safe environment for human rights defenders and lawyers, free from persecution or arbitrary detention;

10. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the VP/HR, relevant EU institutions, and the Russian and Ukrainian authorities.