On the 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

European Parliament resolution on the 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

(2024/2992(RSP))

The European Parliament,

–having regard to Rule 150(5) and 136(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.whereas since February 2014, Crimea has been temporarily occupied by Russia, which illegally annexed it, following an unlawful and internationally unrecognised referendum;

B.whereas Crimeans continue to experience severe human rights violations, unlawful conscription to the Russian army, forced passportisation and Russification, arbitrary detentions, often on trumped-up terrorism charges, enforced disappearances, torture, extrajudicial killings, the absence of freedom of opinion, assembly, association and religion;

C.whereas the Russian occupying authorities are particularly targeting Crimean Tatars, ethnic Ukrainians and ethnic minorities, and have resettled up to 800 000 Russians, forcibly altering the demographic composition of Crimea along ethnic lines in a neo-colonial manner, which constitutes a war crime under international law;

D.whereas there are over 200 Crimean political prisoners in Russian detention facilities, including 133 Crimean Tatars and 67 political prisoners with severe health problems that require assistance;

E.whereas Crimean journalist and human rights defender Iryna Danylovych was abducted in 2022, accused of possessing explosives and sentenced to 6 years and 11 months of imprisonment; whereas NGO activist Tofik Abdulhaziiev was arrested in 2019 and sentenced to 12 years in a maximum security prison on trumped-up charges, and since 2023 is being held in a prison some 2 700 km away from Crimea; whereas citizen journalist Amet Suleymanov was sentenced to 12 years of prison in 2021;

F.whereas many Crimeans continue to be persecuted, including: Emil Kurbedinov, Server Mustafayev, Emir-Usein Kuku, Lutfiye Zudiyeva, Kulamet Ibraimov, Abdureshit Dzhepparov, Edem Semedlyaev, Rustem Kyamilev, Oleksandr Sizikov, Halyna Dovhopola, Ruslan Abdurakhmanov, Rustem Huhuryk and Lilia Hemedzhy;

1.Reiterates its condemnation of the illegal occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol by Russia;

2.Condemns Russia’s continuous targeting of ethnic Ukrainians and systematic persecution of indigenous Crimean Tatars, which aims to erase their identity, heritage and culture, echoing, for the Crimean Tatars, the genocidal deportations of 1944; considers that Crimea’s future is tied to its recognition as the Crimean Tatars’ historic homeland;

3.Condemns the persecution of journalists, civil society activists and human rights defenders and the deportation of civilians including political prisoners from Crimea to penitentiary institutions across Russia, contrary to international law;

4.Demands the immediate and unconditional release of Iryna Danylovych, Tofik Abdulhaziiev and Amet Suleymanov and other political prisoners; calls for immediate medical care to be provided; denounces the upholding of verdicts against seriously ill individuals, which constitutes a blatant violation of international human rights standards; calls on the International Committee of the Red Cross and the UN to establish the whereabouts of civilian detainees from Crimea;

5.Calls on the international community to continue its policy of non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea; supports efforts for its de-occupation, such as the Crimean Platform; calls for the strengthening of sanctions against individuals and legal entities involved in the illegal annexation;

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