The people's deputies have approved the Address of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to the parliaments of foreign states, parliamentary assemblies and international organizations in connection with the threats to the lives of hostages held by Russia-sponsored militants in the territory of separate districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
The Address reads the following:
"Comprehensive, unconditional and full implementation of the provisions of the Minsk agreements and the Set of measures on their implementation dated February 12, 2015 is a key element of political diplomatic settlement of the situation in separate districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions caused by the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.
At that the provisions relating to life, security and liberty of the people are crucial for successful ensuring of the peaceful settlement, and should be fulfilled first and foremost.
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine points to the fact that contrary to the spirit and letter of the Minsk agreements, the Russian Federation and the illegal armed groupings it manages have made not a step to implement humanitarian items of the Minsk agreements, including as to the release of the hostages they have seized and unrestricted access of international humanitarian missions in the occupied territories.
Steady practice of violence, harassment and blackmailing by the Russian occupation forces and militants in separate districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions has become particularly brutal in relation to the captured hostages from among local residents, journalists, volunteers, representatives of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other law enforcement agencies. As at today (according to the Joint Center for Coordination of the search for, and release of illegally imprisoned persons, hostages, and establishment of the location of those missing in the ??ATO zone) in subhuman conditions held as hostages are 137 citizens of Ukraine, and the fate of 694 citizens of Ukraine remains unknown.
Our particular concern is over the threats recently voiced by the militants on their readiness to apply death penalty against the hostages.
In this regard, and feeling the concern and responsibility for the safety and lives of the citizens of Ukraine - hostages of the aggressor country and the forces it controls, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine calls on the parliaments of foreign states, parliamentary assemblies and international organizations to:
Apply all available mechanisms at governmental, parliamentary and non-governmental level and give a clear signal to the Russian Federation, on the inadmissibility of the use of assassinations and extrajudicial executions, torture and other cruel, subhuman or degrading forms of treating the hostages and local residents of the territory of separate districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions it occupied;
Demand from the Russian Federation to immediately provide access to the International Committee of the Red Cross to the hostages and illegally held persons and to engage the ICRC in the search for missing people and identification of bodies of those killed;
Urge the Russian Federation to carry out the transfer of citizens of Ukraine, illegally held by Russia and the militants it controls;
Demand from the Russian Federation and Russia-sponsored illegal armed groupings to stop the ongoing military aggression against Ukraine and immediately fulfill obligations under the Minsk agreements concerning Ukraine’s regaining control of its border;
Urge the governments of their countries to continue and strengthen the restrictive measures against the Russian Federation till the complete fulfillment of its obligations under the Minsk agreements."
The Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine was tasked to immediately send the text of the Address to the parliaments of foreign states, parliamentary assemblies and international organizations.
Respective draft Resolution was registered under No. 4071.