Marina Lazebna: The transfer of children forcibly deported from Ukraine to the aggressor state in the family of Russian citizens is direct trafficking in children.

Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine Maryna Lazebna said that the Ministry of Social Policy together with members of the Coordination Staff for the Protection of Children's Rights in Martial Law and Deputy Prime Minister - Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine Iryna Vereshchuk prepared a petition citizens of Ukraine forcibly deported to the aggressor state in the family of Russian citizens.

In the near future, these appeals will be addressed to the UN Human Rights Committee, members of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, the UN International Court of Justice in The Hague, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and the governments of Ukraine's partner countries.

The corresponding appeal is Ukraine's reaction to the information that the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation is preparing draft regulations that will allow the transfer of children of Ukrainian citizens forcibly removed from the temporarily occupied territories of our state to the families of Russian citizens, including by adoption.

"This is cynicism beyond all bounds. As a result of the war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, 191 children were killed, and 350 children were injured, and we do not have complete data from Mariupol and other cities where active hostilities are taking place."

The enemy directs its attacks on schools, kindergartens, hospitals, orphanages, and other institutions where children live. As a result of attacks, shelling, and bombing of civilians, we have a growing number of children whose parents have died or who have lost contact with their parents. Millions of children were forced to leave their homes and move to unfamiliar places, sometimes unaccompanied by relatives.

Terrible crimes of the occupiers against the life, honor and dignity of children (rape, torture, murder) have been recorded in the occupied settlements of Ukraine. Every story from these cities brings tears to the eyes of even the most resilient adults. And the children experienced them live.

We record the facts of the forced deportation of children - citizens of Ukraine from the occupied territories to the Russian Federation.

Therefore, having received information about the possible preparation of the Ministry of Education of Russia regulations that will transfer these stolen Ukrainian children to the families of Russian citizens, we urgently prepared an appeal to international organizations and countries to prevent this next cynical crime, which under international law is nothing else. as human trafficking, and take all possible measures to return children forcibly deported to the aggressor state under the care of Ukraine," said Maryna Lazebna.

The transfer of children forcibly deported to the Russian Federation in the family of Russian citizens violates international treaties and conventions, including:

• UN Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989,

• The Hague Convention on Jurisdiction, Applicable Law, Recognition, Enforcement, and Cooperation on Parental Responsibility and Child Protection Measures of 1996,

• Convention relating to the Status of Refugees,

• General Comments № 6 (2006) on the treatment of unaccompanied and separated children outside their country of origin, General General Comments № 3 (2017) of the Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families and № 22 (2017) of the Committee on the Rights of the Child on a general basis concerning the rights of the child in the context of international migration, and Joint General Comments № 4 (2017) of the Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families and № 23 (2017) of the Committee on the Rights of the Child on States' obligations regarding children's rights in the context of international migration in countries of origin, transit, destination and return;

• Guidelines for Alternative Care for Children, adopted by UN General Assembly Resolution 64/142 (2010);

• The policy of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, according to which children evacuated to other countries due to emergencies need to be provided with appropriate temporary care to reunite with their families.