PACE recognises Russia’s genocidal intent to destroy Ukrainian cultural heritage and identity
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has recognised Russia's genocidal intent to destroy Ukrainian cultural heritage and identity.
According to Censor.NET, this was reported by a member of the Verkhovna Rada's permanent delegation to PACE, Yevheniia Kravchuk (Servant of the People faction).
"My resolution "Countering the erasure of cultural identity in time of war and peace" was adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe - 103 votes in favour!" Kravchuk said.
What does the Resolution say?
As noted, the document contains unprecedented provisions to support Ukrainian culture and preserve Ukrainian identity.
The resolution condemns the systematic state policy of Russification implemented by the Russian Federation since 2014 in the occupied territories of Ukraine, including the denial of Ukrainian cultural identity, language, literature and history. During the aggression, more than a thousand objects of Ukraine's cultural heritage have been destroyed or damaged.
It is clearly established that the deliberate destruction of cultural heritage and the erasure of cultural identity in Ukraine are war crimes, crimes against humanity and indicate a specific genocidal intent to destroy the Ukrainian national identity.
Kravchuk said that they also managed to adopt an important amendment on the oppression of indigenous peoples of the Russian Federation.
"The aggressor is pursuing a policy of Russification against numerous indigenous peoples of the country, also gradually erasing their cultural identity and depriving them of their historical memory," she stressed.
The resolution calls on Member States to:
- Ratify Council of Europe conventions on the protection of cultural heritage;
- Strengthen sanctions for arbitrary military destruction not justified by "urgent military necessity";
- Expand the scope of its legal regulation to include violations against cultural heritage, including cultural cleansing;
- Provide for full reparation on the basis of international law, in particular through restitution, compensation, rehabilitation, satisfaction and guarantees of non-repetition;
- Strengthen the ability to combat trafficking in cultural property, in particular by sanctioning all those who carry out or facilitate the illicit movement of or trade in artefacts, conduct or organise illegal excavations, or use artefacts for their own purposes (exhibitions, auctions, scientific publications), and ensure that the authorities and state institutions involved are held accountable for these actions;
- Develop training for military, police, customs and justice officials to facilitate the prevention, investigation and prosecution of cultural heritage offences;
- Raising awareness of how propaganda, imperial and neo-imperial practices, in particular the ideology of the "Russian world", can create the basis for violations of international law, including against cultural heritage;
- Raise awareness of the targeted indoctrination and militarisation of Ukrainian children in the occupied territories by the Russian Federation.
In addition, the member states of the organisation will assist Ukraine to:
- collect, record, document and preserve evidence of crimes committed by the Russian Federation against tangible and intangible cultural heritage in Ukraine, including for the purpose of assessing damage and obtaining reparations;
- promote the digitisation of cultural heritage and property;
- build institutional capacity to ensure the best use of funding, improve heritage management and reconstruction;
- develop projects for cultural heritage, support for cultural vitality and cultural exchange, providing support and resources to artists, writers, musicians and other cultural professionals, as well as funding initiatives, grants and residency programmes!
"This is an important foundation for Russia to be held accountable for its encroachment on our identity. We are already starting to work on implementation!" added Kravchuk.
