Statement delivered by Ambassador Anna Jardfelt.
The position of Sweden is well known and clear. Our policy of non-recognition remains firm, as does our steadfast support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence within its internationally recognized borders. We condemn Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
We remain deeply concerned about the human rights situation in the illegally annexed Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. The situation continues to gravely affect the rights of millions of civilians. We fully support the UN General Assembly resolutions on the situation of human rights in, and the militarization of, the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.
We reiterate our call on Russia to ensure the proper and unimpeded access of international human rights monitoring missions and humanitarian actors in the entire territory of Ukraine, including the Crimean Peninsula.
We continue to call on Russia to uphold its obligations under international human rights law and international humanitarian law, and to respect the human rights of all residents of the illegally annexed Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. We remain deeply concerned about the continued detentions of Ukrainian citizens of Crimean Tatar origin by the Russian authorities and call on Russia to immediately release all illegally detained Ukrainians.
We are also concerned by the mobility restrictions imposed on civilians due to the COVID-pandemic, as they have a detrimental effect on civilians’ enjoyment of human rights.