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UKRAINE
STATEMENT BY MR. NICOLAS DE RIVIERE,
PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF FRANCE TO THE UNITED NATIONS
TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL
(Translation from French)
New York, 17 January 2023
Mr. President,
I thank Mrs. Brands Kehris and Metropolitan Anthony for their briefings.
Once again, Russia is trying to divert attention by using today freedom of religion or belief as an instrument. It seeks to divert the attention of this Council from its responsibility for the war of aggression it has been waging for nearly a year, and for the suffering caused to the Ukrainian population.
France strongly condemns the new Russian strikes of January 14, which hit the city of Dnipro and caused the death of several dozen civilian victims.
This meeting is a new example of Russia’s strategy of disinformation. It convenes the meeting claiming to defend “religious freedom”, while it has not given any respite to the civilian population during the Orthodox Christian holidays. It has openly violated a cease-fire that it had unilaterally decided. France recalls the importance of guaranteeing the right to freedom of religion or belief, in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Mr. President,
Since the beginning of its aggression against Ukraine, Russia has continuously committed serious human rights violations: forced displacement, which could also involve children, sexual violence committed by the Russian army, and violation of the right to freedom of religion or belief of Ukrainians and the freedom to observe their religious rites in peace.
These violations were denounced last September, and again today, by the Under-Secretary General for Human Rights. Last Friday, the Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs reminded this Council of the number of civilian victims caused by this war: more than 7,000 killed and more than 11,000 injured.
Mr. President,
France remains determined to support Ukraine in its quest for justice and in the fight against all violations committed against its people. France supports the work of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry of the Human Rights Council and the investigations conducted by the Ukrainian justice system and the International Criminal Court. We thank the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights for its remarkable work in collecting evidence of these violations.
France stands by Ukraine. We will never resign ourselves to a world in which force prevails over law. We will continue to provide the Ukrainian people with all the humanitarian, economic and military support they need to exercise their right to self-defense and preserve their freedom.
Thank you.
Dernière modification : 18/01/2023