September 14, 2016
MEDIA RELEASE
Illegal Russia-led Crimea elections condemned
by peak body for Ukrainians in Australia
The Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations (AFUO) condemns plans to conduct elections to the State Duma of the Russian Federation in the occupied territories of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea slated for 18 September 2016.
The AFUO calls on the Australian Government not to recognise the election results and to encourage other Governments to do the same. A letter has been issued to Minister Julie Bishop imploring her to strongly vocalise Australia’s position to her international counterparts.
“The Russian Federation continues to act in complete violation of international law.” said AFUO Chairman, Mr Stefan Romaniw.
“Australia and the international community must stand up to this might-is-right attitude or the Russian Federation will continue along its destructive path to recreating a bygone Russian empire,” Mr Romaniw said.
The Russian Federation illegally annexed the Ukrainian peninsula over two years ago, a takeover that is not internationally recognised as confirmed by the UN General Assembly resolution of 27 March 2014 and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of 25 June 2015.
The next step in consolidating the violent occupation and its incorporation into the Russian Federation is the proposed election to Russian legislature – the State Duma.
Since Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea, occupation forces and the terrorist organisations they established, the Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic, have brutally persecuted Ukrainians and systematically suppressed the rights of the Crimean Tatar people, forcing many to leave their historic homeland.
According to national and international law, such pseudo-elections in Crimea have no legal legitimacy and will not be recognised by Ukraine nor hopefully the international community.
FURTHER INFORMATION: STEFAN ROMANIW 0419 531 255
