In Rubizhne in the Lugansk region, local authorities urge residents to report refugees from the LPR
In the city of Rubezhnoe, in the Ukrainian-controlled part of the Lugansk region, lists of migrants from the LPR living in these houses are posted on the entrances of multi-storey buildings and local residents are asked to report refugees who do not actually live at the address they indicated during registration. In addition, the lists were posted with personal information of refugees, which is directly prohibited by Ukrainian law.
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About it reports the local publication Municipal Varta.
Timur Adaratsky, deputy chairman of the organization “Public Legal Aid Service,” said that such facts are gross violations of the law “On the Protection of Personal Data.”
“Officials of the social protection department are disseminating information about their place of residence without the consent of the displaced. Moreover, according to Art. 8 part 2 of the Law of Ukraine “On the Protection of Personal Data”, immigrants, as subjects of personal data, had to receive information from social security services about their intention to post this information in public places and obtain consent to this. Our organization has already been contacted by 5 displaced people who reported that they did not give such consent and were very surprised and disappointed when their personal data became public. I am concerned that this is possible in democratic Ukraine today. It is obvious that calls for denunciations, attempts to divide people into different social groups by posting personal information in public space, sow hatred and contradict basic European principles, as well as Ukrainian legislation. The current situation leads to even greater stigmatization of IDPs.” – says Timur Adaratsky.
Another local social activist, head of the Lugansk regional representative office of the VGO “Civil Network OPORA” Alexey Kormiletsky, agrees with him.
“Such calls to local residents to track the places of residence of displaced persons and the publication of lists with personal information are a very dangerous precedent that can lead to negative consequences. First of all, we must talk about the fact that displaced people are already very vulnerable today. Instead of helping them integrate into the local community, the authorities actually contribute to the formation of an intolerant attitude among local residents towards this social group. Let's post lists of single mothers with personal information tomorrow and encourage citizens to check the information to see if they really live alone. You can also post information about people with disabilities and encourage local residents to check the information to see if they are faking it. Or maybe we should publicly post the addresses of HIV/TB patients? I am sure that the government bodies entrusted with the function of carrying out these checks should do this independently, without humiliating migrants as a social group. If this practice continues, our organization will initiate an appeal to law enforcement agencies. From our point of view, such activities by officials fall under actions aimed at inciting hostility, humiliating honor and dignity, or insulting the feelings of citizens based on their place of residence (Article 161 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine),” says the activist.
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