A month ago the defenders announced a range of high profile cases of Ukrainian border guards’ unlawful activities at the administrative border with the Crimea. The matter concerned the facts of demanding explanations as for “why a citizen of Ukraine wants to move across Ukraine”, destroying passports etc. The State Border Service made notice of the representatives of Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union and initiated the creation of an allied platform for resolving these issues.

In particular, the State Border Service officials promise that in the nearest time in each train going to the Crimea the citizens will find a bulletin specifying what a border guard may and may NOT demand.

As well, the border guards promise to make “rules of the game” clear and transparent: to prepare and publish the explanations of basis for refusal in entering the continental part of Ukraine to persons crossing the checkpoints with the occupied territory, and to finalize the Rules for procedure of entering and leaving the temporary occupied territory.

In this process the State Border Service will be assisted by rights defending organizations, the representatives of which have already provided their insights to the border guards. The state border establishments staff will be provided a consultative and psychological support referring details of communicating with people from the occupied territories.

Accordingly there will be established a collaboration towards exchange of information regarding amendments in the Ukrainian Laws concerning the regime and status of the occupied territories and details of the process of crossing the administrative border with Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

Serhii Zayets, the expert of Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union assumes: “We hope that the intention of the State Border Service to resolve the system problems will be successfully brought into life. A good sign is that the state border establishment, on being criticized, does not remain silent, does not pretend there is no problem – but started resolving it, and invited everyone involved in daily processing of citizens claims crossing the administrative border with Autonomous Republic of Crimea”.

Oleh Slobodian, the Assistant of Head of State Border Service of Ukraine admits: “This work is very important for the border establishments. As by today, there has been created a working team comprising representatives of State Border Service and experts of civil organizations. It discovered an information bulletin for citizens and state guards. And that is just the beginning. In future we will apply all efforts for that our joint business could bring positive results as soon as possible”.

“This press-release is issued in frames of the project “Human Rights in Action” being implemented by Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union by virtue of generous support of the American nation provided through USA Agency for International Development (USAID). The responsibility for the content is implied upon Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union, and it does not presume the reflection of any views of USAID or United States Government”.

The American nation, trough USAID, has been providing economic and humanitarian help around the whole world for more than 50 years. In Ukraine USAID is contributing to such spheres as economic development, democracy and administration, health care and social sector. Since 1992, the USA Agency for International Development has granted technical and humanitarian help to Ukraine for total value USD 1,8 billion. More detailed information regarding USAID programs in Ukraine may be obtained on USAID official web-site, http://ukraine.usaid.gov and Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/USAIDUkraine.