Remarks by the delegation of Ukraine

during the Interactive dialogue with the Assistant Secretary-General 

on Human Rights Ms. Ilze Brands-Kehris

 16 October 2025

Chair,

We thank all briefers for their briefings, in particular Assistant Secretary-General for presenting the latest Secretary-General’s report A/80/315 titled ‘Situation of human rights in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, including the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol’, submitted pursuant to the UNGA resolution 79/184 under the same title.

It is crucial that the United Nations maintain rigorous monitoring of the situation in the temporarily occupied territories, despite the challenging conditions caused by Russia’s ongoing war of aggression. The report once again provides irrefutable evidence of the devastating human rights consequences of Russia’s occupation. It confirms a persistent pattern of grave violations, including arbitrary detention, torture, sexual violence, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and deaths in custody. It further exposes Russia’s politically motivated persecution of Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars.

Yesterday, on October 15, Russian occupation security forces conducted mass searches in the homes of Crimean Tatars in several districts of occupied Crimea. Among those detained are 4 women: Esma Nimetullaieva, the wife of political prisoner Remzi Nimetullaiev and a mother of five children, Nasiba Saiidova, a pedagogical college student and kindergarten teacher, as well as Elvira Alieva, and Fevzie Osmanova. We demand their immediate release as well as all illegally detained citizens of Ukraine.

Today, over 15,000 Ukrainian civilians remain in Russian detention, many held incommunicado, denied contact with families and legal assistance. We call for urgent international action to secure access to detention sites, ensure humane treatment, and work toward their release.

To ensure continued, objective, and credible monitoring of the human rights situation in the territories of Ukraine under temporary occupation by Russia, the delegation of Ukraine will present an updated draft resolution titled “Situation of human rights in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, including the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.” We call on all Member States to support this initiative.

Thank you.