ARTICLE 19, speaking on behalf of 63 civil society groups, has urged the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) to strengthen protections for freedom of expression, the right to privacy, and other human rights online.
30 militants have been killed as the result of the anti-terrorism operation in the east of Ukraine. Pro-Russian activists keep seizing buildings in Lugansk and Donetsk Region.
Russia continues attempts to destabilise the situation in the southern and eastern regions of Ukraine, with the help of diversionists and militants. According to the Ukrainian special services, they are partly financed by the former president Viktor Yanukovich.
Pro-Russian militants in the Eastern regions of the country continue their attempts to seize buildings, keep people captured and detained and announce a hunt on Ukrainian-speakers.
According to media reports, pro-Russian forces abducted at least four persons during last several days in Slavyansk, Kramatorsk and Gorlovka. Among them a journalist, activist, city council deputy and the radio centre employee.
As a result of events on 13 April there were people injured in Slaviansk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzha, Mariupol, Kramatorsk, including law enforcement officers, pro-Russian and pro-Ukrainian activists, journalists. The region of activities of separatists has been expanded.
According to Ukrainian activists, on 12 April Russia in fact invaded continental Ukraine. This fact has been recognized by the Interior Minister of Ukraine, military experts and numerous witnesses of the latest events in Eastern Ukraine. The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine was urgently convened.
Confrontation continues in the eastern regions of Ukraine with the number of victims and hostages rising. Journalists are among the main targets of aggression – as was the case in Crimea.
A three-day Civil Society Forum in Vienna opened yesterday, gathering civil society representatives from North America, Western, Central and Eastern Europe. The topics to be discussed include the prevention of torture, the right to privacy and non-discrimination.
