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WORLD NEWS Thursday 27 January 2022

Netherlands, Ukraine take Russia to European rights court

By MIKE CORDER annexation of Crimea in
Associated Press 2014, Moscow used “this
THE HAGUE, Netherlands same traveling circus of
(AP) — The Netherlands professional separatists” in
and Ukraine argued eastern Ukraine.
Wednesday that a top Eu- Russia denies any involve-
ropean court should hear ment and its lawyer Mikhail
their cases that seek to Vinogradov urged the
hold Russia responsible for court to declare the cases
human rights violations in inadmissible.
eastern Ukraine including If the Dutch and Ukrainian
the 2014 downing of a pas- cases are deemed admis-
senger jet that killed all 298 sible by the court’s judges,
people on board. they will likely take years to
Lawyers representing the reach a conclusion.
Dutch government told the Relatives of some of the vic-
European Court of Human tims were in court Wednes-
Rights in the French city of day. Before the hearing,
Strasbourg that Russia had they held up a banner out-
effective control over rebel side that read “Waiting for
forces in eastern Ukraine answers and accountabil-
when Malaysia Airlines ity” printed over the flight
flight MH17 was shot down This Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2015 file photo, shows the reconstructed wreckage of Malaysia Airlines number “MH17.”
on July 17, 2014. Flight MH17, put on display during a press conference in Gilze-Rijen, central Netherlands. Three Russians and a Ukrai-
The preliminary hearing into Associated Press nian are on trial in the Neth-
whether the Ukraine and long-term policy of the Rus- launch system was then Russia and by, or at least erlands for their alleged
Dutch cases against Rus- sian Federation aimed at driven back to Russia, the with the assistance of, Rus- roles in the downing in a
sia are admissible opened bending Ukraine to the Rus- investigation found. At the sian state agents.” criminal case that is sepa-
amid soaring tensions be- sian interests and swaying it time, pro-Russian separat- Koopman told judges that rate from the hearings in
tween Russia and the West away from its path towards ists were battling Ukrainian relatives of the plane’s Strasbourg. None of the
over Moscow’s huge troop Western values and civiliza- forces in the country’s east. dead are still waiting for an four have appeared for
buildup near the border tion. This policy continues Dutch lawyer Babette admission of responsibility trial in the Netherlands.
with Ukraine and fears of up until now.” Koopman said the Dutch and the fact that none has In a statement, Dutch For-
conflict.Ukrainian Justice An international investiga- government had conclud- been made “has added eign Minister Wopke Hoek-
Minister Denys Maliuska told tion concluded that a Buk ed that the missile launch and continues to add to stra called Wednesday’s
the court that the events missile transported from a system “was provided by the already tremendous hearing “an important step
in eastern Ukraine and Russian military base into Russia with a crew to the grief of the next of kin.” in the Netherlands’ pursuit
Crimea in 2014 foreshad- Ukraine brought down the separatists. Maliuska went to the court of justice for the victims
owed the current crisis. Boeing 777 that was head- The Buk missile was to personally argue his gov- and their next of kin. That is
He told the court his coun- ing from Amsterdam to launched from an area un- ernment’s case. He told and will remain a priority for
try faces “a consistent or Kuala Lumpur. The missile der the effective control of judges that after Russia’s the government.”q

EU leaders worried by rise in

antisemitism, Holocaust denial

By SAMUEL PETREQUIN event organized by the Eu- European Jewish Congress
Associated Press ropean Jewish Congress, President Moshe Kantor cit-
BRUSSELS (AP) — Europe- which was also attended ed the big amount of time
an Union leaders pledged by European Commission spent online during the
Wednesday to confront President Ursula von der coronavirus pandemic as
the rise of antisemitism and Leyen and European Par- one of the reasons for the
Holocaust denial witnessed liament President Roberta rise in antisemitism.
during the coronavirus pan- Metsola. “We have to understand A person walks behind the gate of the Sachsenhausen Nazi
demic, on the eve of the The Commission — the better their concerns and death camp with the phrase ‘Arbeit macht frei’ (work sets you
annual commemorations EU’s executive branch — aspirations and speak to free) in Oranienburg, about 30 kilometers (18 miles) north of
of Auschwitz’s liberation. presented last year a new them in their language,” he Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022.
European Council Presi- strategy to better tackle said. “There has been a tsu- Associated Press
dent Charles Michel said hate speech, raise aware- nami of lies about Jews, Is- versary of the Velodrome brance Day commemora-
the lessons of the Holocaust ness about Jewish life, pro- rael and the Holocaust over d’Hiver round-up, a mass tions Thursday will be held
are now “more relevant tect places of worship and the last couple of years, so arrest of Jews by French online this year again. A
than ever.” ensure that the Holocaust we have to create new police in Paris in 1942. small ceremony, however,
“First, because Jewish peo- isn’t forgotten. According strategies to reach those French President Emmanu- will take place at the site of
ple feel threatened, and to Europe’s Fundamental who are consuming this in- el Macron said he has tak- the former Auschwitz death
they are threatened,” he Rights Agency, nine out of formation innocently.” en action to dissolve groups camp, where World War II
said. “They are even at- 10 Jews think antisemitism With France holding the promoting hatred and de- Nazi German forces killed
tacked in Europe. Just be- has increased in their coun- EU’s rotating presidency, plored that “falsifications of 1.1 million people in occu-
cause they are Jewish. We try and is a serious problem. the European Jewish Con- history are back.” pied Poland. The memorial
do not accept this. We will With the wide circulation of gress’ ceremony focused Due to the coronavirus site was closed earlier in the
never accept it.” false information about the on the Holocaust is in pandemic, many Interna- pandemic but reopened in
Michel spoke at an online Holocaust on the internet, France, on the 80th anni- tional Holocaust Remem- June.q