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Ukrainian NGOs called to abolish restrictions on crossing the contact line for people with symptoms of coronavirus
“In fact, in the order, the commander of the Joint Forces Operation warns people in temporarily occupied territories that they will not be provided with medical aid and will be denied entry into the government-controlled territory of Ukraine in case they have any symptoms border guard servicemen can assess as symptoms of coronavirus. We believe that the order of the JFO commander disproportionately restricts human rights and freedoms. It violates the constitutional rights of citizens under Articles 24, 33 and 49 of the Constitution of Ukraine by artificially dividing the citizens of Ukraine into those who have the right to receive medical care and are able to move freely, and those who are deprived of this opportunity”, says an open statement signed by 20 civil society organisations.
The full text of the appeal is available by clicking here. CivilM+ platform member organizations – Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union and Kharkiv Human Rights Group are among the signatories.
“Since coronavirus has no specific symptomatology other than respiratory illnesses, the task of the Ukrainian authorities is to minimize the risks associated with the possible spread of the virus and care for their citizens who find themselves under occupation. Residents of the temporarily occupied part of Donbas should not become a source of additional danger in the eyes of inhabitants of the front-line territories,” the appeal specifies.