On Friday 19 January, the spokesperson for the European External Action Service called for the release of "all illegally detained Ukrainian citizens in the illegally-annexed Crimean peninsula and in Russia (...) as swiftly as possible".
In a press release, the spokesperson also stated that on 16 January, Volodymyr Balukh, "known to have opposed the illegal annexation of the Crimean peninsula by the Russian Federation", was sentenced to three years and seven months in a penal colony by a court in the peninsula, and that Crimean Tatar activist Bekir Dehermendzhy was detained on 23 November in Simferopol "on dubious charges". "In view of the critical medical condition he suffers, it is essential that he is immediately granted access to appropriate medical care", the spokesperson stated.
"International human rights observers must be granted full, free and unhindered access to the peninsula" of Crimea, the spokesperson added, also saying that the EU remains committed to fully implementing its policy of non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)