GENEVA, July 4. /TASS/. During the 38th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, the Russian delegation expressed its concern over numerous violations of human rights and freedoms in Ukraine.
In particular, the delegation’s head Olga Chekrizova noted the increasing number of infringements on the freedom of speech and attacks on journalists.
"We share the UN concern over the growth of attacks on the freedom to express opinions, the freedom of the media, as well as by physical attacks on journalists. In January-March this year, a total of 21 media workers were attacked, and 71 violations of the freedom of speech were recorded," the diplomat said during the discussion on the 22nd quarterly report of the UN mission in Ukraine.
"We condemn the expulsion of Russian journalists from Ukraine and the arrest of the RIA Novosti Ukraine chief," she added.
The Russian diplomat added that Russia was seriously concerned by the persistently high level of arbitrary detention, torture, inhumane treatment and sexual violence in areas adjacent to the line of contact in Donbass."
According to UN estimates, Ukrainian law-enforcement officers are responsible for about three quarters of those crimes.
"Just like the observer mission, we are convinced by stalled investigations into violations related to activities of the Mirotvorets website, and by the emergence of similar databases, such as the Parazyt Center," Chekrizova said.
She added that the level of anti-humane rthetoric and crimes has been on the rise in the Ukrainian society: in the three months between February 16 and March 15, a total of 23 attacks on dissidents, anti-corruption and human rights activists and gypsies were recorded.
The Russian delegation also urged Kiev to follow UN recommendations regarding the discriminatory law on education, which infringes on the right of ethnic minorities to be educated in their native language.