The main issue at the last meeting of the humanitarian subgroup of the Trilateral Contact Group for the settlement of the situation in Donbass involved discussing the lists of persons subject to the exchange. Commissioner for Human Rights in the DPR Darya Morozova commented on the outcome of the meeting.
“Unfortunately, the subgroup’s meeting did not bring any results. The Ukrainian side again did not answer the questions appearing on the agenda, thereby delaying the exchange of detainees and demonstrating the complete lack of political will.
In turn, we once again drew the attention of the Ukrainian side to the need for verification directly, since we did not find confirmation from a sufficient number of detainees that they refused to participate in the exchange process. Moreover, many of them have not been even invited to participate in this process,” Morozova said.
The Ombudsperson noted that the Ukrainian side had not yet elaborated a mechanism for providing guarantees for the procedural clearance of those subject to the exchange.
“Once again, we pointed out that the adoption of decisions on the exemption of persons subject to the exchange from criminal punishment is its integral part and regarding this principled position the Republic will not change its opinion, which will be a guarantee of human rights enforcement.
We call on the Ukrainian side to urgently unblock this process and begin the procedure for release of detainees,” the Commissioner for Human Rights in the DPR stated.