The Council of Europe sends its delegation to Crimea on Monday to assess the human right situation on the peninsula, the organization reported on its website.

Swiss diplomat Gerarg Stoudmann will head the delegation, in which he will be assisted by three members of the Council of Europe secretariat.

"More than 2.5 million people live in Crimea, they are all covered by the European Convention on Human Rights and should be able to benefit from it," the Council of Europe's press service quoted the secretary general of the organization, Thorbjorn Jagland, as saying.

However, for more than a year, no delegation from an international organization has been able to go there, he explained.

"The mission will be conducted with full independence and will not deal with any issue related to the territorial status of Crimea," Jagland stressed.

The mission's mandate covers all major human rights issues including freedom of expression and media freedom; freedom of association and of assembly; minority rights; local and self-government; fight against corruption and prison conditions.

The mission will conclude with a report and recommendations submitted to the Secretary General in late February or March, the report reads.