In July 2019, new human rights violations were detected in the occupied Luhansk and Donetsk regions controlled by the occupation administration of the Russian Federation. These include illegal detentions and restrictions on the freedom of movement for civilians, the creation of a parallel legal system, violations of property rights, the involvement of minors in propaganda. Unfortunately, all of these human rights violations have become the “norm” for the residents of the so-called “people’s republics” territories.
1. Illegal arrests, detentions and restrictions on freedom of movement
On July 9, 2019, it was reported on the media website that is under control of the occupying Russian administration, that so-called the “Military Court of Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR)” in Luhansk sentenced Nicholas Polozova to 12 years imprisonment for “committing a crime under Article 335 of the Criminal Code of the LPR on “State Treason’”.
The same report says that Nikolai Polozov allegedly “was recruited by the Security Service of Ukraine, on whose instructions he brought his fellow national militia comrade, Vasylyi Kryat into the territory of Ukraine under false pretense.”
On the same day, a statement was made on the website of the so-called “Ministry of State Security of the Luhansk People’s Republic” on the detention of Oleh Kirzner (born in 1975), a resident of the town of Yenakiyevo, “on suspicion of committing an act of telephone terrorism.”
On July 11, 2019, the so-called “Supreme Court of the LPR” sentenced Denis Oliynyk, a resident of Golubovka (formerly Kirov), to 12 years of prison for “supplying explosives to subversion and reconnaissance groups operating in the Republic.”
The report also states that during the so-called criminal “investigation” initiated by the investigation department of the so-called ” Ministry of State Security of the Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR)” it was established that Denis Oliynyk “committed treason by providing logistical assistance to the Security Services of Ukraine (SBU).”
On July 12, 2019, it was reported on the media website that is controlled by the occupation administration of the Russian Federation, that the so-called representatives of Luhansk commandant “a Ukrainian citizen was arrested during a passport control performed by the division of Luhansk commandant in an area that until 2014 housed the military unit A +1973 SBU. He had previously served in this area.”
It is also reported that the man “arrived in Luhansk on his own to visit his relatives. He crossed the contact line officially through the EECP “Maiorsk”.
2. Creation of a parallel legal system, lawyers, notaries, courts
In the occupied Donetsk and Lugansk regions, the occupation administrations of the Russian Federation and the media controlled by them continue to inform local residents and the world community about the actions of their “state bodies” and the results of their “work”. It should be noted that these actions are not legally binding and are only aimed at demonstrating the so-called “statehood” of the “republics”.
On July 10, 2019, a report appeared on the media website controlled by the occupation administration of the Russian Federation stating that the so-called “Ministry of Justice of the Luhansk People’s Republic registered 42 departmental legal acts in June.”
On July 12, 2019, the “deputies” of the so-called “People’s Council of the LPR” considered in the first and second readings during the plenary session and adopted the law “On Official Statistical Accounting and System of State Statistics in the Luhansk People’s Republic.” And on July 16, “On Amendments to the Law of the Luhansk People’s Republic” On Road Transport” was adopted.
3. Forcing into membership in “civil society” organizations and participation in “patriotic” and “social” initiatives of “LPR” and “DPR.” Involving children in propaganda
The children, adolescents and youth are being pursued to join “civil society” organizations and military-patriotic propaganda is being conducted among them in the occupied Donetsk and Luhansk regions, controlled by the occupation administrations of the Russian Federation. The employees of government enterprises and companies, which are under the so-called “external management,” are actively pursued to become members in “civil society” organizations.
On July 16, 2019, the “Luhansk Information Center”, a media source controlled by the Russian occupation administration, reported that a festival “for kids’ military-patriotic organizations and associations” opened in the occupied village Malokostiantynivka of the Pereval’s’kyi district. It is attended by teams of the so-called “military-patriotic organizations and associations” of Perevalschina, Luhansk, Almazne (former Krasnyi Luch), Antratsyt and Dovzhansk (former Sverdlovsk).
Also, the report states that “in the framework of the festival, which will take place over three days, a range of activities is planned: review of military and patriotic songs, poetry, wall newspapers about hero countrymen, mini-football, volleyball, excursions in memorable places, as well as applied military competitions such as the assembly and disassembly of weapons, obstacle course, shooting from an air rifle.”
On July 22, 2019, on the media website that is controlled by the occupying Russian administration, “Luhansk information center” it was reported that children from Sorokyne (former Krasnodon) took the third place in the rise of the so-called “military-patriotic clubs of the Yunarmiya movement “Combat Brotherhood” which was held on the military-patriotic sports basecamp “Friendship” in Kovrovsky district of Vladimir Oblast’ of the Russian Federation.
The report also states that “children have had a real army life, learned to march, went through the obstacle course, competed in the assembly-disassembly of AK-74, shot from an air rifle, heard lectures, studied military manuals, competed in grappling and hand-to-hand combat.
On July 15, 2019, the so-called media source “Donetsk News Agency” reported that “More than 300 members of the military-patriotic movement“ Young Guard – Yunarmiya “in the period from the 11th to 15th of July visited the military units of Horlivka, Snizhne, Amvrosiivka, Komsomolske, Donetsk, Mospyno and Novoazovsk.”
4. Violation of property rights
In July 2019, the process of so-called “nationalization” of enterprises continued on the territories of the occupied Luhansk and Donetsk regions controlled by the occupation administration of the Russian Federation. The enterprises were previously operated under the jurisdiction of Ukraine or belong to Ukrainian citizens who, since the beginning of the conflict, live in the territory controlled by Ukraine.
Thus, in July 2019, 32 announcements on the identification of abandoned property were published by the so-called “State Committee of Taxes and Duties” in the “LPR.” It should be noted that the application deadline for owners varies depending on the value of the property from one day to 60 days from the date of the announcement. Upon the expiration of this period, the property comes under the control of the “republic.”
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