On June 17, 2016 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva the side event "International monitoring of the human rights situation in Crimea: findings and perspectives" was held by the delegation of Ukraine on the margins of the 32nd Human Rights Council’s session.

The event panelists were: Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Mr. S.Kyslytsya; MP, Commissioner of the President of Ukraine  for the Crimean Tatar people affairs Mr. M.Jemilev; Director of HRC and Treaty Mechanisms Division of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) A.Abdelmoula; Deputy to the Director of the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe B.Urumova; Head of Crimean Human Rights Group O.Skrypnyk; member of the unofficial Turkish delegation that visited Crimea on April 27-30, 2015, researcher at the Sociology Department of the Middle East University (Ankara) prof. A.Aydingun.

The event raised a significant interest - it was attended by over 60 representatives of Geneva based diplomatic missions, including delegations of HRC members and observers, international organizations, in particular, the OHCHR, the EU, the Council of Europe, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, media accredited in Geneva etc. The event was also attended by the Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights K.Gilmore.

The speakers informed the participants about the real situation in the peninsula occupied by the Russian Federation, noting the ongoing deterioration of the human rights situation there, especially with regard to the rights of Crimean Tatars, ethnic Ukrainians and all those who disagree with the Kremlin expansionist policies. It was pointed out that human rights violations in Crimea are systematic, widespread and grave and are not being investigated; the occupying authorities of the peninsula strongly obstruct the activities of the civil society organizations, especially the pro-Ukrainian ones, as well as the preservation and development of national identity of Crimean Tatars and ethnic Ukrainians.

S.Kyslytsya and M.Jemilev, supported by a number of delegations, stressed out that the real improvement of human rights situation in the occupied Crimea can be achieved only through its de-occupation. In addition, speakers and participants emphasized the urgency of securing the access of international organizations to the peninsula that would contribute to a proper awareness of the international community on the current human rights situation and would increase pressure on the Russian Federation aimed at returning this country into the international legal framework.