On Monday, May 5, Professor, expert of the Crimean Tatar Resource Center Borys Babin took part in the World Law Congress held in Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) online. The event traditionally brings together leaders of the legal community from around the world every 2 years.
For three days, more than 300 speakers from more than 70 countries discussed global challenges to which the legal community must respond. Among the participants were heads of state, judges of international and national courts, government officials, politicians, academics, lawyers, activists and students.
CTRC expert Borys Babin actively participated in the Congress, moderating Panel 20: “Indigenous Peoples’ Rights, Cultural Practices, International Migration and Universal Human Rights”, during which participants presented their vision of the problems of ethnic groups and migrants during conflicts, crises and attacks on democracy.
In his speech, Borys Babin outlined the following key topics:
- Basic international principles in the field of indigenous peoples’ rights protection;
- Repression and discrimination against the indigenous people of Ukraine – Crimean Tatars in the occupied Crimea;
- Participation of the Crimean Tatars in global peacekeeping initiatives discussed under the auspices of the UN;
- The issue of collective claims of indigenous peoples for damages;
- The need to secure the legal status of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people as its representative body.
Prof. Babin placed a special emphasis on the last issue of securing the legal status of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people.
“Thus, the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people as a representative body of the indigenous people, illegally banned by Russia in 2016, still does not have the status of a legal entity in Ukrainian jurisdiction, despite the relevant progressive law signed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in 2021 and the relevant documents sent by the Mejlis to the Government of Ukraine in June 2023. This illegal government inaction has become a serious challenge for the Mejlis’ future lawsuits against Russia in defense of Crimean Tatars as victims, as well as for international solidarity with the indigenous people of Ukraine,” – he explained.