Human Rights Commissioner urges international media not to report on Russia's shame elections in Ukraine's TOT

Dmytro Lubinets. Photo credit: Dmytro Lubinets on Facebook

Dmytro Lubinets, the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, calls on international partners, media and independent journalists not to report on Russia's illegitimate presidential elections in Ukraine's temporarily occupied territories (TOT), the Commissioner writes on Facebook.

According to him, active preparations for Russia's illegitimate presidential elections, which are set to take place over three consecutive days (March 15, 16 and 17), are underway in the TOT.

"Active preparations for Russia's illegitimate presidential election are underway in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. Pseudo-voting will take place over three consecutive days: 15, 16 and 17 March. 'Polling stations' are being prepared and lists of community residents are being checked, campaigning is being conducted among employees of public utilities and the homes of future 'voters' are being visited by armed occupiers. I call on the international community to strongly condemn the illegal elections in the TOT of Ukraine and not to recognise their 'results'!" Lubinets noted.

The Commissioner also remarked that Russia was stepping up their information campaign around the so-called "election process". For this, they not only employ their own propaganda media, but are trying to attract foreign journalists, as well, so as to legitimize the results of the sham voting in the eyes of other countries.

"In this regard, I call on all international partners, media and independent reporters not to send their observers and not to participate in the coverage of the fake elections in the TOT of Ukraine, as well as not to violate the territorial integrity of our country by visiting these territories without the permission of the Ukrainian competent authorities," Dmytro Lubinets noted.

Liability for involvement in Russia's sham elections in Ukraine's temporarily occupied territories

The Commissioner noted that the current law does not provide for criminal or any other kind of liability for participation in the Russian sham elecions alone, especially under coercion.

He noted that the persons involved in the organization and performance of the illegitimate elections should be distinguished from those who were forced to vote in them. Lubinets added that with the stat of Russia's full-scale invasion, the Criminal Code of Ukraine was supplemented with an article on collaboration. Part 5 of Article 111-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine clearly lists the liability specifically for participating in the organization and performance of illegal elections and/or referendums in the TOT or public calls to hold such illegal elections and/or referendums in the TOT.

The Commissioner also added that there was no liability for obtaining a Russian passport while living under occupation. According to the law, the automatic acquisition of Russian citizenship by people living in the TOT is not recognized by Ukraine and is not a reason for deprivation of Ukrainian citizenship.