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2015

Human Rights Violations in Russian-Occupied Crimea

Moderators

Orest Deychakiwsky

Policy Advisor

Commission for Security and Cooperation in Europe

Jonas Wechsler

State Department Senior Adviser

Commission for Security and Cooperation in Europe

Witnesses

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Ivanna Bilych

Co-founder and President; Board Member

VOLYA Institute; Ukrainian American Bar Association

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Yuriy Yatsenko

Activist of the Maidan Revolution of Dignity who was Illegally Imprisoned in Russia on Political Grounds and Recently Released After a Year of Imprisonment

Yaroslav Brisiuck

Chief of Mission

Embassy of Ukraine to the United States

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Andriy Klymenko

Prominent Economist, Originally from Crimea; Chief Editor

Black Sea News

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Bohdan Yaremenko

Former Ukrainian Diplomat; Chairman of the Board

Ukrainian Non-Governmental Organization, Maidan of Foreign Affairs

The briefing reviewed the current condition of life in Crimea under Russian rule. Panelists highlighted the illegal nature of Russian rule over the peninsula and described the human rights abuses commited by the new authorities. Several of the panelists described the propaganda campaign and censorship that the Russian government has been carrying out to tighten its grip on the peninsula.

Participants also outlined possible responses by the international community — particularly sanctions — to address the situation in Crimea.

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