In framework of permanent cooperation with UN bodies our Association sent submission to UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences, Professor Tomoya Obokata to his report to General Assembly on role of workers’ organizations in preventing and addressing contemporary forms of slavery.
In our Association’s report, published by UN sources, the example of Ukrainian Independent Maritime Trade Union (UIMTU) was described, and relevant activities were pointed. Submission reminded on impossibility of functioning in the occupied Crimea legal and internationally recognized Ukrainian maritime trade unions also as the negative role of the Russian federation of maritime transport workers’ trade unions and Russian seafarers’ union as monopole and pro-governmental structures that have direct tasks in the Crimea not to defend the local seafarers but to realize the politic targets of Russian authorities in area of support the alleged “legality” of the Russia’s occupation the Crimea.
ARC’s submission reminded on connection of those illegal aggressor’s structures with the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping as the classification society directly controlled and operated by the Russian state authorities and issuing en masse obviously untrue documents and certificates on “compliance” the Ukrainian trade vessels and maritime industry structures, trapped illegally by Russia in the Crimea, to the international conventions in areas of shipping safety, vessel nationality and the crew members` regime.
Submission reminded on UIMTU activities in Ukraine’s jurisdiction, initiating cases in administrative courts defending rights of Ukrainian fishermen, stolen by Russian “coast guard” from Black Sea and Sea of Azov and illegally kept in the Crimea as hostages. In those cases 420/7376/20 and 420/8381/20 UIMTU demanded to recognize the illegal inactivity and negligence, including issues of misrecognition of stolen fishermen as victims and of illegal negotiations with Russian authorities; those claims were satisfied partially.
In other case 420/3863/20, UIMTU demanded to recognize the illegal inactivity and negligence on issue of non-executing of Plan of emergency measures to counter Russian aggression from the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine in Crimea for 2018–2019, that foreseen defense of Crimean seafarers’ rights
Also the relevant recommendations were done at ARC’s submission, including duty to prepare researches on international and national legal qualification of enforced deportation, human trafficking and modern forms of slavery and methodic recommendations for trade union regarding counteraction those issues, including interstate conflict or foreign occupation situation, presentation of such proposals on relevant human rights international platforms.
ARC’s submission recommended also to prepare methodic recommendations for trade unions for their cooperation with ILO, IMO, FAO, OSCE, CoE and UN structures regarding those challenges, aid for trade unions in relevant national legal proceedings and organizational steps.
ARC’s submission recommended cooperation with OSCE, CoE and UN monitoring missions in Ukraine, also as with FAO and ILO structures on issues of enforced deportation, human trafficking and modern forms of slavery at occupied territories of Ukraine. ARC’s submission recommended also collecting and systematizing data about person and legal entities, responsible for ban off trade unions and enforced deportation, human trafficking and modern forms of slavery at occupied territories of Ukraine, monitoring their criminal procedural and sanction regime.
ARC’s submission recommended also additional trainings for international standards and best national practices regarding trade unions’ activities for Ukrainian human rights defenders, activists, investigators, prosecutors, barristers and judges involved in cases, connected with counteraction of enforced deportation, human trafficking and modern forms of slavery at occupied territories of Ukraine.
