Canada condemns Russia’s violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity
Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland issued the following statement, “Third Anniversary of Illegal Annexation of Crimea,” on March 16.
Today we mark three years since Russia’s illegal annexation and invasion of Crimea. We condemn unreservedly this violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Since the occupation of Crimea, there has been a severe suppression of human rights, including freedom of expression and association.
Canada is deeply troubled by the politically motivated application of “anti-terrorist” and “anti-extremist” legislation; ongoing harassment of human rights activists, journalists and lawyers; arbitrary detentions; disappearances; and the persecution of Crimean Tatars and other minorities. We denounce the banning of the Mejlis, the self-governing body of the Crimean Tatars, and have called on Russia to reverse this illegal and immoral decision.
It is shameful that Russia impedes access to Crimea for international human rights groups, including the Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine. The importance of this access was endorsed on December 19, 2016, in a U.N. General Assembly resolution co-sponsored by Canada.
Canada is steadfast in its support for the people of Ukraine. Together, the international community must maintain its pressure, including through economic sanctions, until Russia respects international law and Ukraine’s sovereignty.
U.S. reaffirms commitment to sovereign, whole Ukraine
The following press statement on “Reaffirming U.S. Commitment to a Sovereign and Whole Ukraine on the Third Anniversary of Russia’s Crimean ‘Referendum’ ” was delivered by the U.S. State Department’s acting spokesperson, Mark C. Toner, on March 16.
Three years ago, Russia seized and occupied Crimea. Russia then staged an illegitimate referendum in which residents of Crimea were compelled to vote while heavily armed foreign forces occupied their land. The United States does not recognize Russia’s “referendum” of March 16, 2014, nor its attempted annexation of Crimea and continued violation of international law. We once again reaffirm our commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Over the past three years, Russian occupation “authorities” in Crimea have engaged in a campaign to suppress dissent. In Russian-occupied Crimea, human rights monitors have documented enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, torture and punitive psychiatric hospitalizations. Crimean Tatars, ethnic Ukrainians, pro-Ukrainian activists and independent journalists have been subjected to politically motivated prosecution and face ongoing repression. Russian occupation “authorities” have silenced and forced the closure of nongovernmental organizations and independent media and have consistently denied international observers access to the peninsula. We call on Russia to cease its attempts to suppress freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, association and religion.
Crimea is a part of Ukraine. The United States again condemns the Russian occupation of Crimea and calls for its immediate end. Our Crimea-related sanctions will remain in place until Russia returns control of the peninsula to Ukraine.