08/02/2023 12:12

Human Rights Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Dmytro Lubinets announced his resignation from the European Ombudsman Institute

Human Rights Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Dmytro Lubinets announced his resignation from the European Ombudsman Institute:

"I have sent an urgent letter to the members of the European Ombudsman Institute on withdrawal from this association.

Such a measure resulted from the fact that two Ukrainian children, who were in the territory of the Republic of Austria because of Russian armed aggression, were taken to the territory of the Russian Federation by a "human rights activist of the European Ombudsman Institute (EOI)". According to media reports, this was done by Dr. Josef Siegele, Secretary General of the EOI, member of the EOI Board and Deputy Ombudsman of Tyrol. The Austrian authorities have launched an official investigation into Dr. Siegele's actions.

This is the violation of Article 49 and 50 of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, which prohibit the forcible transfer or deportation of persons from the occupied territory and impose on the occupying state an obligation to take all necessary measures to facilitate the procedure for identifying children and registering their family ties.

These facts, namely the forced transfer of children from one group to another, are one of the signs of genocide in accordance with the Article II of the UN Convention of December 9, 1948, on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

At my request, the European Ombudsman Institute failed to conduct an internal investigation and impose appropriate sanctions on Dr. Siegele, whose actions contradict the purpose of the Institute's establishment and demonstrate his bias. The President of the Institute, Dr. Dragan Milkov, ignored my requests.

I believe that such actions are detrimental to Ukraine's national interests at a time when a bloody full-scale war is ongoing. I emphasize that the return of each deported child is a very complex process that requires tremendous efforts and time!

I have appealed to my colleagues who are members of the Institute to consider an immediate withdrawal from the European Ombudsman Institute and to condemn the actions of its management.

At the same time, I would like to express my gratitude to my colleagues and friends who withdrew from the EOI, Mr. Juris Jansons, the Ombudsman of the Republic of Latvia, and Ms. Erika Leonaitė, the Ombudsman of the Republic of Lithuania, for their unequivocal position and quick response to the above situation.

I believe that all members of the organization, who are supporters of democratic principles, for whom human rights are not empty words, cannot stand aside from this situation and continue their membership in the EOI".