FM Kuleba: Ukraine could become regional hub for OSCE’s human rights activities

Ukraine could become a regional hub for OSCE's activities for the protection of human rights and the development of civil society.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba made a corresponding proposal during a meeting with Matteo Mecacci, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), in Stockholm, the Ministry's press service informs.

"Against the background of Russia's blocking of OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meetings (HDIM), Dmytro Kuleba put forward the initiative to make Ukraine a regional hub for OSCE's activities in the field of human rights protection and civil society development," reads the statement.

"Ukraine has a very powerful civil society. We consider this to be the strength and advantage of our country. Therefore, we are ready to take on the role of a regional hub for strengthening civil society in the Central European region," Kuleba said.

In this context, the minister invited the OSCE/ODIHR to consider the possibility of holding events in Ukraine that would provide a platform for effective cooperation between representatives of governments and civil societies in the region.

The foreign minister of Ukraine reaffirmed Ukraine's full support for the Office's mandate for assistance to participating States in the protection of human rights and freedoms and the conduct of democratic elections.

The minister assured that the issues of ensuring human rights and fundamental freedoms, rule of law, tolerance and non-discrimination, as well as further development of democratic institutions, will remain among Ukraine's priorities. To this end, the Ukrainian side will continue to work closely and constructively with the ODIHR in the areas of its competence.

In addition, Kuleba pointed out the importance of monitoring, including remote, of human rights situation in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine in accordance with Ukrainian domestic law and international law by regional and international mechanisms, including the ODIHR.

The parties also discussed the protection of the rights of Ukrainian citizens currently imprisoned in the Russian Federation and in the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories.