Anna Sytnikova, Chief Consultant of the Crimean Platform Support Service, took part in the Third Supplementary OSCE Human Dimension Meeting on the topic “The Role of Civil Society in Promoting and Protecting Tolerance and Non-Discrimination”. The conference was held in Vienna on June 26-27.

The Third Meeting included three sessions: “Towards Tolerance, Non-Discrimination and Countering Hate Crimes in Most-at-Risk Communities”, “Civil Society Promoting Tolerance and Non-Discrimination through Cooperation, Coalitions and Dialogue” and “Civil Society Education Efforts in Promoting Tolerance and Non-Discrimination”.

During her speech, Ms. Sytnikova spoke about the situation in the occupied Crimea, about the oppression of the indigenous Crimean Tatar people by the aggressor country.

“The persecution of the indigenous Crimean Tatar people is part of Russia’s criminal policy. That is why, after the occupation of Kherson region and the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Crimean Tatars became one of the first victims of abductions, searches and politically motivated persecution, for example, Rustem Khukhurik, Appaz Kurtamet, Igor Khalilov, Ayder Umerov, Ruslan Abdurakhmanov, Rustem Osmanov, Arsen Ibraimov and others,” said Anna Sytnikova.

In addition, she paid attention to the cooperation between the state and the public sector to ensure tolerance and non-discrimination against the indigenous peoples of Ukraine on the liberated Crimean peninsula.