On Wednesday, the Saeima’s Foreign Affairs Commission adopted a statement on the return of Ukrainian children illegally relocated to Russia and Belarus. In the statement, parliamentarians strongly condemn the illegal and forced relocation of Ukrainian children to Russia and Belarus by Russia and Belarus, the press service of the Saeima reports.
In the statement, the MPs call on the international community and organizations, especially the International Committee of the Red Cross and the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative on Violence Against Children, to actively engage in solving this issue so that the children stolen from Ukraine are returned to their families or legal representatives as soon as possible and safely.
The Foreign Affairs Commission supports the investigation launched by the International Criminal Court in order to identify and bring to justice those who committed war crimes and crimes against humanity on the territory of Ukraine.
“It’s not just child abduction. This is the kidnapping of Ukraine’s future,” emphasized Rihard Kols, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Commission. “It is our moral duty to remind and draw the attention of the international community to Ukrainian children kidnapped by Russia, violently separated from their family, relatives and homeland. Russia’s war of aggression does not mean only fighting on the front. They are clearly also countless crimes, violations of human rights, emotional, physical and psychological violence, also against every illegally displaced Ukrainian child.”
The parliamentarians appreciate what many participating countries have already done for the return of Ukrainian children and express their support for the international coalition for the return of illegally deported and forcibly displaced Ukrainian children.
Deputies encourage the establishment of an international center in one of the third countries, which would deal with the return of displaced Ukrainian children and serve as a contact point for the international organizations involved, Ukrainian children and their parents or representatives, in line with Ukraine’s plan.
The Saeima’s Foreign Affairs Commission encourages other countries and international organizations to actively and immediately get involved in solving this issue, as well as to adopt similar statements.
The commission will ask the Saeima to include the draft decision in the agenda of the Saeima session on Thursday, December 21, the press service of the Saeima informed the chairman of the commission R. Kols.
2023-12-20 11:11:20
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