On March 20, Permanent Representative Olha Kuryshko held a working meeting at the Mission with a delegation from the Council of Europe Secretariat. The delegation arrived for consultations as part of the preparation for the annual report of the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe on the human rights situation in the territories of Ukraine temporarily occupied by Russia, including Crimea.

Vitalii Sekretar, First Deputy Head of the Prosecutor’s Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, also joined the meeting from the Ukrainian side.

Olha Kuryshko described the human rights situation in occupied Crimea, emphasizing the increase in political persecution of Ukrainian citizens who express resistance to the occupation. She also spoke about the increased pressure on women, mentioning the detention of four Crimean Tatar women in the so-called Crimean Muslims case.

The parties discussed Russia’s systematic policy of militarizing and ideologically influencing children, noting that Russia specifically allocates part of its budget to so-called educational programs, such as training in UAV operation, which effectively prepare children for service in the Russian army.

Separately, the meeting addressed the use of digital control tools, particularly the “MAX” messenger, which the occupiers use to isolate Crimean residents from the outside world and to control the population.

Vitalii Sekretar focused on the systematic human rights violations linked to the aggressor state’s policy in Crimea. Specifically, he provided more detail on the illegal nationalization of property, the forced sale of confiscated assets, and illegal archaeological excavations in Crimea.

He also drew attention to the practice of mass persecution of Ukrainian citizens on charges of so-called discrediting the armed forces of the RF.

To conclude the meeting, the Mission’s team thanked the Council of Europe for its support and consistent position on protecting human rights in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, as well as for its readiness to enhance future cooperation aimed at holding Russia accountable.