In framework of permanent cooperation with United Nations’ bodies our Association sent submission to UN Special Rapporteur in the Field of Cultural Rights, Professor Alexandra Xanthaki regarding her report about the right to access and take part in scientific progress, as part of cultural life. Central questions include what participation means, what are possible limits to it, and how to ensure it in ways that complements scientific expertise, in the context of societies that are challenged by misinformation and disinformation, including issue of definition of science. Association’s submission, prepared by Professor Borys Babin and PhD Yana Tytskaya and published at UN sources, reminded about challenges to right to take part in scientific progress, causd by Russian aggression.
ARC’ submission stresses that aggressor brutally violates rights of indigenous Crimean Tatar people to realize own rights to research own history, language and traditional knowledge in Russia-occupied Crimea. Appropriate countermeasures against the aggressor’s provocations, in particular on international platforms, become the task of educational and scientific institutions of Ukraine, in particular within the framework of mechanisms of academic and research cooperation.
ARC submission stresses that Russian occupiers use all scientific institutions, captured at the Russia-occupied territories of Ukraine, including the Crimea, for illegal militarization, Russification and propaganda of Russian world” Nazi ideology. Association pointed that scientific diversity is impossible for realization in Russia-occupied territories of Ukraine, and freedom of scientific research is banned there by Russian “administrations”.
On examples of so-called “Sevastopol state university”, “Crimea federal university” and “Fevzi Yakubov Crimean industrial and pedagogical university” ARC stressed that the occupation of the Crimea led to systematic criminal attempts by the aggressor to use the so-called “scientific institutions” of the peninsula for illegal attempts to promote the ideas of the “Russian world” in third countries. In addition, such illegal “scientific institutions” are used by the aggressor to attempt industrial espionage and bypass sanctions.
ARC pointed that since 2018 Ukrainian authorities adopted some strategic and program documents regarding processes of reintegration the Crimea after its de-occupation including aspects of reconstruction the scientific researches and realization relevant human rights, including the Plan of emergency measures to counter Russian aggression from the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine in Crimea, 2018. ARC described the proposals for Ukrainian government to regulate additionally some issues of protection and realization the scientific researches during reintegration of the Crimea after its de-occupation, prepared by experts during sessions of Strategic Forum “Future of Crimea” in 2023.
