Permanent Representative Olha Kuryshko met with the Ombudsman of the Republic of Türkiye, Mehmet Akarca.

During the meeting, the Permanent Representative briefed the Ombudsman on the situation of Ukrainian political prisoners in temporarily occupied Crimea, in particular those in critical condition who require urgent medical assistance. Special attention was given to the case of Tofik  Abdulhaziiev as an example of the systematic denial of the right to medical care by the Russian authorities. She also outlined the mentoring programme supporting Crimean political prisoners and emphasised its importance in maintaining international attention on specific cases of unlawfully detained residents of Crimea. The Permanent Representative noted that new practices of persecution in occupied Crimea, including restrictions on access to information about court proceedings, constitute a direct violation of the right to a fair and proper trial.

Olha Kuryshko also drew attention to the policy of systematic pressure exerted by the occupying administrations on lawyers representing political prisoners. This includes searches of law offices, suspension or revocation of licences, and other forms of persecution that effectively deprive individuals of legal assistance and protection.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Permanent Representative underscored the importance of international cooperation and the role of ombudsman institutions in documenting human rights violations and strengthening the protection of victims of occupation. The parties discussed potential areas of further cooperation in the protection of human rights and humanitarian issues.