March 14, 2024
Joint Statement on Russia’s presidential elections
Nearly a decade has elapsed since the unlawful seizure of Crimea and Sevastopol by Russia, and
we are currently two years into Russia’s full-scale and vicious onslaught against Ukraine. Amid
the ongoing war, that has taken a heavy toll on Ukrainian lives and brought about vast human
suffering and destruction, Russia is orchestrating a so-called election to coincide with the 10th
anniversary of Crimea's illegal annexation, in a clear act of provocation. Russia intends to extend
these elections to the territories it has occupied and illegally annexed in Ukraine, in what appears
to be an attempt to legitimize its temporary occupation of Ukrainian territory.
Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia has notably intensified its suppression
of political dissent, and throttled the freedom of media, and civil liberties, by further squashing
any opposition, including criminalizing expressions anti-war sentiment. Prospective anti-war
candidates are being barred from participating in March 2024 Russia's presidential elections.
Russia's governance, dominated by an authoritarian regime led by Vladimir Putin, is marked by
widespread corruption and sham elections to feign adherence to democratic principles, and all
power is concentrated solely in Putin's hands, and dissent has been ruthlessly suppressed through
a compliant judiciary, media censorship, and a legislature that solely rubberstamps the ruling
party.
There’s no longer any room for civic or political opposition in Russia. The Russian government,
especially under Putin, is not held accountable for egregious violations of human rights and
political repressions, including the assassination of leading opposition figure Alexei Navalny,
questioning Putin's legitimacy in both domestic and international fora. Regardless of these
despicable crimes, most Russian citizens continue to support Putin’s regime and the illegal war
of aggression against Ukraine.
As Chairs of our respective parliamentary Committees on Foreign Affairs
we emphasize
that
conducting elections in Ukraine's temporarily occupied and illegally annexed regions is a stark
breach of international law and the principles of the United Nations Charter, and Ukraine's
inalienable independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. This includes consideration of
the Russian Federation's constitution and its international human rights commitments, the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the European Convention on Human Rights, and the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the report by the UN Special Rapporteur
on human rights in Russia released on February 22, 2024.
We firmly denounce
Russia's imperialistic actions and its ongoing aggression against Ukraine.
We reiterate the need for continued comprehensive support for Ukraine from the EU, its Member
States, and allies globally, that encompass political, economic, financial, and military aid, as well
as assistance for civil society and the reconstruction of the country. This support stands as a
critical countermeasure against the Kremlin's oppressive and aggressive regime.
We call on
the Russian government to annul all unfounded accusations and immediately and
without conditions release all those unjustly detained or imprisoned, to cease all forms of torture
and ill-treatment of detainees, and to reform conditions within its detention centres and to adhere
to the most fundamental of rights norms.
We unequivocally reject
the legitimacy of the elections being conducted by Russia in the
occupied Ukrainian territories. Such actions by Russia on Ukraine’s internationally recognized
territory are entirely illegitimate and will not be recognized by the international community.