Ombudsman: Russia continues repressions on religious grounds in Ukrainian Crimea.

Recently, Russian security forces conducted searches of representatives of the Jehovah's Witnesses religious organization in four cities of the temporarily occupied Crimea - Armyansk, Simferopol, Saki and Dzhankoy.

This was reported by the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets.

In Simferopol, a search was conducted at the house of Kateryna Melnychuk. The woman felt sick, her husband's blood pressure rose. Kateryna was informed that a criminal case had been opened against her, and after interrogation, she was released on her own recognizance.

Russian security forces also searched Dmytro Zakharevych's house. On the same day, the man received a decision to bring him as a defendant in a criminal case. At the request of the investigator, the court placed him and another believer under house arrest.

In Armyansk, the man's two homes were searched. After that, he was taken for interrogation.

In the city of Saki, seven Russian security forces, four of whom were armed, searched the house of a 62-year-old Jehovah's Witness for two hours. His electronic devices were seized. Details of the searches in Dzhankoy are currently unknown.

The Ombudsman emphasizes that the persecution of members of religious organizations in the temporarily occupied Crimea is a gross violation by Russia of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 9 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, according to which everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. In addition, the Geneva Convention prohibits the application of the laws of the occupying power in the occupied territory.

To date, the Russian Federation has opened more than 100 criminal cases against Crimeans on religious grounds, including 17 against Jehovah's Witnesses.

"Russia continues to ignore UN General Assembly Resolution 74/168, in which the international community calls on the Russian Federation to ensure freedom of religion and belief without discrimination!" said Dmytro Lubinets.

Source: ombudsman.gov.ua

Photo by RISU