European Parliament denounces illegal occupation of Crimea and severe human rights violations

RIGA - In the 11th year of the annexation of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol by Russia, the European Parliament (EP) has condemned the illegal occupation, EP spokesman in Latvia Janis Krastins informed LETA.

In their resolution, adopted by 446 votes in favor, 25 against, and 51 abstentions, MEPs note that Crimeans experience significant human rights violations, with Crimean Tatars, ethnic Ukrainians and other ethnic minorities particularly targeted.

The European Parliament points to political prisoners Iryna Danylovych, Tofik Abdulhaziiev, and Amet Suleymanov as examples of the persecution of journalists, civil society activists, and human rights defenders by the Russian occupiers and demands their immediate and unconditional release.

MEPs also call on the international community to continue its policy of non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea and for the strengthening of sanctions against individuals and legal entities involved in the illegal annexation.

In a separate resolution, adopted by 492 votes in favor, 28 against, and with 41 abstentions, MEPs express grave concerns about the Kyrgyzstan government’s attacks on media freedom, freedom of expression and intimidation of political opposition, which includes arrests of journalists, bloggers and civil society groups, and most notably the arbitrary arrest of opposition leader Temirlan Sultanbekov.

They call on the Kyrgyz authorities to release Sultanbekov and other party officials as soon as possible, ensuring full respect for their political and civil rights and upholding the democratic standards and fundamental freedoms agreed as part of the EU-Kyrgyzstan Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement and the Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP +).

MEPs also urgently call for the Kyrgyz government to retract its "false information law" as well as its law on "Foreign Representatives," and demand that the Kyrgyz authorities do not assist the Russian Federation in evading sanctions imposed on Russia as a result of its war of aggression against Ukraine.

A third resolution, adopted by 434 votes in favor, 30 against, and 89 abstentions, condemns ongoing human rights violations in Azerbaijan and urges the Azerbaijani authorities to end the crackdown on all dissident groups immediately. The EP wants an unconditional release of human rights defenders, journalists and political activists prosecuted under fabricated, politically motivated charges.

MEPs deplore the fact that Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu, a finalist for the 2024 Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought, was not allowed to attend the award ceremony in Strasbourg nor to connect remotely, and demand the immediate lifting of his travel ban. Azerbaijan's authorities must drop all charges against him and allow him to receive medical treatment abroad, MEPs say.

Azerbaijan must also lift restrictions on independent media and end the repression of Meydan TV, Toplum TV, Abaz Media and Kanal 13, MEPs say, while calling for EU sanctions to be imposed on officials responsible for serious human rights violations. They insist any EU-Azerbaijan partnership agreement, including on energy, must be strongly conditional on the respect for fundamental rights and the release of all political prisoners.