UNESCO to implement monitoring mechanisms in the Crimea
The Programme and External Relations Commission of the 199th session of the UNESCO Executive Board considered the report and made a decision on "Monitoring the situation in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea (Ukraine)," the Ukrainian delegation to UNESCO reported on Facebook.
"The decision assumes that during the next (200th) session of the UNESCO Executive Board, the Director-General should submit a progress report on the implementation of previous decisions. In particular, on establishing the mechanism for monitoring the situation in Crimea by UNESCO at the institutional level," the report of the Ukrainian delegation states.
The report, which was discussed at a meeting of UNESCO's executive committee, provided specific facts of flagrant violations of human rights and the rights of national minorities, especially the Crimean Tatars.
The document, which was adopted by an overwhelming majority: 17 – for, 5 - against - became the fifth consecutive decision of the UNESCO Executive Board since the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation.
The presentation of the official position of Kiev was made by the Permanent Representative of Ukraine to UNESCO, Ambassador Oleh Shamshur, who noted that "a significant deterioration of the situation in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol in the fields of competence of UNESCO is making it more and more urgent to establish an effective mechanism to monitor the situation in the illegally occupied peninsula, an important element which should become UNESCO’s mission to monitor the situation on the spot."
Statements in support of Ukraine's position were made by the US delegation, the EU, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Turkey and Japan, the Ukrainian delegation reported.
Human rights activists have repeatedly reported violations of human rights in the annexed Crimea. The authorities of Russia and Crimea deny all accusations.