Armenia votes against anti-Russian resolution on Crimea at UN General  Assembly    

ArmInfo.On December 19, Armenia voted at the United Nations General Assembly against the resolution titled "Situation of human rights in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol (Ukraine)," which was initiated by Ukraine and supported by the UNGA Third Committee. 

70 UN member states (including the EU countries, Canada, the United  States, Turkey and Japan) backed the document, 77 abstained  (including Azerbaijan), and 26 voted against it (including Armenia,  Russia, Belarus, Venezuela, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, North Korea and  Syria).  

The General Assembly calls on the Russian Federation "to take all  measures necessary to bring an immediate end to all abuses against  residents of Crimea, in particular reported discriminatory measures  and practices, arbitrary detentions, torture and other cruel,  inhumane or degrading treatment, and to revoke all discriminatory  legislation." It also urges Russia to "immediately release Ukrainian  citizens who were unlawfully detained and judged without regard for  elementary standards of justice, as well as those transferred across  internationally recognized borders from Crimea to the Russian  Federation."

Russia should also "address the issue of impunity and ensure that  those found to be responsible for abuses are held accountable before  an independent judiciary." The UNGA also urges the Russian  authorities to "create and maintain a safe and enabling environment  for journalists and human rights defenders to perform their work  independently and without undue interference in Crimea; to permit the  reopening of cultural and religious institutions."

The UNGA also calls on Russia to "revoke immediately the decision  declaring the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People an extremist  organization and banning its activities, and repeal the decision  banning leaders of the Mejlis from entering Crimea." It urges the  Russian authorities to "cooperate fully and immediately with the  Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the  Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Council  of Europe on the situation of human rights in Crimea."

Further, the UNGA urges the Russian Federation to "ensure the proper  and unimpeded access of international human rights monitoring  missions and human rights non- governmental organizations to Crimea,  recognizing that the international presence in Crimea is of paramount  importance in preventing the situation from further deterioration."

The General Assembly resolution was first approved by the UN's human  rights committee on November 15.  Russia had lobbied against the  resolution, calling it "politically motivated" and "one-sided."