On 18 July, the European Parliament held a plenary session urgency debate in Strasbourg to discuss cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Russia, notably the situation of environmental activists and Ukrainian political prisoners.
“The European Union has repeatedly expressed concern at the fate of all Ukrainian citizens illegally detained in the Crimean peninsula and in Russia,” said Commissioner Christos Stylianides on behalf of EU High Representative Federica Mogherini. “These include Crimean Tatars and others who have opposed the illegal annexation, and other Ukrainians.”
The EU continues to call for the “immediate and unconditional release of the captured Ukrainian servicemen and their vessels, as ordered also by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea”.
“We recall that it is the duty of the Russian authorities to respect and protect the rights of all illegally detained Ukrainian citizens, and the rights of Russian citizens and activists in line with Russia’s international human rights commitments.”
