The situation of national minorities in Crimea following its annexation by Russia

Context and Aim of the Study: The annexation of Crimea, regarded as illegal both by the EU and United Nations General Assembly Resolution UN 68/262, created a deteriorating environment for the respect of human rights. Access to the peninsula as well as freedom of expression and independent media have also been severely restricted. National minorities, especially the Crimean Tatars, have been targeted through various restrictive measures and human rights violations, including the exile of their leaders, abductions, forced disappearances, unlawful searches and seizures, and illegal imprisonments. The authorities have also enacted a wide ban on independent Tatar and other media outlets and imposed restrictions on social and cultural rights. The Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) has requested a study that would feed into the debate and help the Parliament form an opinion and make decisions in this respect.

Objectives of the Study:

1. to provide an overview of the situation of  national minorities on the Crimean peninsula since the annexation, including criminal cases brought against Crimean Tatar activists and deportations of some leaders;
2. to compile a comprehensive catalogue of relevant legislative acts that have been passed by the de facto authorities;
3. to assess the applicability of the relevant international legal norms and standards to the de jure and de facto authorities;
4. to evaluate the actions taken by the international community to improve the situation, including by the EU;
5. to assess the implementation of relevant EU policies, frameworks, programmes and guidelines in this context, including the EU human rights guidelines;
6. to provide recommendations regarding possible EU policy measures to address the situation, including in the framework of the UN, the OSCE, the Council of Europe. In this context the contested status of Crimea, as well as the lack of access and information available to independent monitors or organisations;
7. where possible, use visual aids such as charts, tables and infographics.

Client: European Parliament: Directorate-General for External Policies of the European Union

Consortium leader: PASOS - Policy Association for an Open Society