es Vienna, September 22, 2022
Council of Europe Secretary General rejects so-called ‘referendums’ in occupied Ukrainian territories
Now without Russia on board, the Council of Europe condemned Russia’s threats over Ukraine and today its Secretary-General Marija Pejčinović Burić today rejected the shameless pretend-referendums in pretend-independent Russian statelets in eastern Ukraine with which Putin hopes to protect his gains after the country’s successful fight-back.
“The announced so-called ‘referenda’ in Ukrainian territories that are occupied by Russian forces is a further escalation of the conflict and the ongoing violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
“Such ‘referenda’, held at gunpoint by occupying forces and in disrespect of basic democratic principles, can neither be accepted nor recognised,” she said in a statement.
The CoE Platform to promote the safety of journalists and journalism has recently started a weekly newsletter of “alerts” to which colleagues can subscribe. The latest is for the week ending 19/09/22 and includes abuses in Russia such as:
Russian Federation**: Russian Journalist Badma Byurchiyev Assaulted in Elista. On the evening of 8 September 2022, unidentified people attacked Badma Byurchiyev, a reporter with the news website Kavkazsky Uzel (Caucasian Knot), in front of his home in the city of Elista, according to media reports, a report by his outlet, and the journalist.
**Alert subsequent to the cessation of the membership of the Russian Federation in the Council of Europe on 16 March 2022 pursuant to Committee of Ministers decision CM/Del/Dec(2022)1428ter/2.3. The partner organisations to the Platform decided on 31 March 2022 to continue publishing information relating to serious concerns about media freedom and journalists’ rights in the Russian Federation.
- AEJ May, 2022 CoE Secretary General: Media should be able to report free from attacks and intimidation, including in times of war