Denisova asks UN reps to help return Ukrainian fishermen arrested in Crimea
The Verkhovna Rada's Ombduswoman for Human Rights Liudmyla Denisova has asked UN representatives to help Ukrainian citizens, crewmembers of the YMK-0041 fishing boat arrested in Russia-occupied Crimea, return home to Ukraine.
"I address the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein, Chairman of the UN Human Rights Council Vojislav Suc, Chairman of the UN Human Rights Committee Yuji Iwasawa, Chairman of the UN Committee against Torture Jens Modvig, Chairman of the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture Malcolm Evans, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic, President of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Mykola Hnatovsky with a request to influence the situation and assist with the immediate return of illegally detained Ukrainian citizens to their homeland," Denisova said on her Facebook page on Wednesday.
She said that four months have already passed since the detention of the crew of the Ukrainian vessel YMK-0041 by Russian authorities. Crew members Serhiy Kalynychenko, Viktor Novytsky, Ruslan Skrypnyk, Hennadiy Otychko and Oleh Block have been forced to remain in Crimea, as they were deprived of their passports. They are also forced to rent housing for which they pay out of their own pockets.
"By its actions, the Russian Federation violated the human rights to freedom, personal inviolability and freedom of movement provided for in Articles 3, 9 and 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 5 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, Articles 9 and 12 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political rights and Article 5 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination," Denisova said.
As earlier reported, on May 4, 2018 the Russian Federation detained the YAMK-0041 fishing vessel with Ukrainian sailors on board. On May 16, 2018 the Russia's Federal Security Service announced a criminal case against the ship's captain Viktor Novytsky under Part 3 of Article 256 of Russia's Criminal Code (illegal harvesting of aquatic biological resources committed by a person using his official position). The YMK-0041 was seized.
