The situation in eastern Ukraine remained tense in 2016 despite the Minsk II Agreements forged a year earlier that called for a ceasefire and withdrawal of heavy weapons by all sides. Civilians in both Ukrainian and Russia-backed separatists’ detention were subjected to serious abuses. Abuses in conflict-affected areas remain largely unaddressed. The government did not adequately respond to attacks on journalists by nationalist groups. In Crimea, Crimean Tatars face further persecution for their peaceful opposition to Russia’s occupation of the peninsula.
Hostilities in Eastern Ukraine
The 2015 Minsk II Agreements significantly reduced hostilities, but frequent skirmishes and exchanges of artillery fire continued …read more
Source: Human Rights Watch