Lithuania's representative to the UN expressed grave concern over increasing human rights violations in the east and south of Ukraine, including abductions, hostage taking, arbitrary detentions, beatings and torture of civilians, attacks on journalists, as well as arbitrary executions carried out by pro-Russian separatists. She also stressed increasing human rights violations and harassment of Crimean Tatars, noting a growing number of displacements among Tatar population and restrictions of their political, social and economic rights.
Ambassador Murmokaitė emphasized that transparent, free, and fair elections were key to Ukraine's future. She welcomed Ukrainian government's cooperation with regional organisations and the expected presence of international election observers and urged all parties to desist from interference and efforts to disrupt the conduct of the 25 May elections. She called on Russia to contribute constructively towards the settlement of the situation in Ukraine by publicly condemning armed separatism in Ukraine's southeast, and insisted on the need for Russia to put an end to incendiary anti-Ukrainian propaganda.
Lithuania's representative commended Ukraine's actions aimed at the implementation of April 17 Geneva statement, and welcomed the recent adoption of "Memorandum on Peace and Concord".
During the meeting, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ivan Šimonović and Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Oscar Fernández-Taranco briefed the Council members on the deteriorating human rights situation in Eastern Ukraine and Crimea and the latest political developments in the country.
