France, Germany and the United Kingdom expressed grave concern about Russia’s continued unlawful detention of three former OSCE officials, including reports about Vadym Golda’s health. They called for the officials’ immediate and unconditional release, appropriate medical care, reliable information about their condition and regular family contact.
I am delivering this statement on behalf of France, the United Kingdom and my own country, Germany.
We are gravely concerned by reports concerning Vadym Golda, one of three former officials of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine whom Russia continues to hold unlawfully and in violation of international law
We understand that Mr Golda has been transferred to a medical correctional facility in Russia’s Tambov region. This development raises further concerns about his health and treatment.
Mr Chair, Vadym Golda, Maksym Petrov and Dmytro Shabanov served in an OSCE mission established with the agreement of every participating State, including the Russian Federation. They are not bargaining chips. They are our colleagues, and they should be at home with their families.
Russia’s treatment of them is a direct affront to the OSCE and every participating State represented around this table. It also sets a dangerous precedent for those serving in international missions on our collective behalf. Personnel deployed under an international mandate must be able to perform their duties without fear of arbitrary detention, politically motivated prosecution or imprisonment.
We thank the OSCE Secretary General and the Chairperson-in-Office for their efforts to secure our colleagues’ freedom. We encourage them to intensify their engagement with the Russian Federation and to continue making their release a priority.
We urge the Russian Federation to release Vadym Golda, Maksym Petrov and Dmytro Shabanov immediately and unconditionally, and return them safely to their families. Pending their release, Russia must provide reliable information about their location and condition, ensure that they receive appropriate medical care, and allow them regular contact with their families.