Lithuanian Foreign Ministry’s statement
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania regards the proposals by the law enforcement authorities of the Russian Federation to prohibit the activities of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People as politically motivated persecution and another gross violation of political freedoms and human rights in Crimea, which is illegally annexed by Russia.
This is an example of the Russian Federation’s policy of intimidation and an attack on the Crimean Tatars. Such actions attempt to undermine Tatars determination to fight for their rights, resist the occupation authorities and the policies aimed at solidifying the illegal annexation of Crimea.
Neither Lithuania nor the entire international community recognizes the illegal annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation in spring 2014. We consider this annexation, all the occupation authorities in Crimea and their actions illegal.
Lithuania, which enjoys close historic relations with the Tatar community and fosters the rights and freedoms of ethnic communities, strongly condemns the systematic flagrant violations of human rights of the Crimean Tatars and Ukrainians by the Russian Federation in the Ukrainian Autonomous Republic of Crimea over the past two years. Moreover, we would like to draw the attention of the international community to the systematic limitation of freedom of the press in Crimea.
Once again we urge the Russian Federation to end the illegal annexation of the Ukrainian Autonomous Republic of Crimea, to withdraw its military forces from the territory of Ukraine and to respect the principles and rules of international law.
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