WE STAND WITH THE REFUGEES WHO HAD TO LEAVE UKRAINE DUE TO THE UNLAWFUL ATTACK AGAINST UKRAINE AND WE SAY ‘NO’ TO WAR

Russia's attack on Ukraine, which started on the night of February 23, 2022 and is still continuing, severely violates human rights, especially the right to life, and international humanitarian law, as well as Article 2/4 of the United Nations Charter regulating the prohibition of the use of force. It is also unacceptable that this act, which is a clear violation of international law, was carried out by a state that is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, the organ of the United Nations responsible for maintaining international peace and security.

According to the report published by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on March 2, 2022, 874,000 people from Ukraine had to move to other countries due to the war, and 100,000 people have been internally displaced. We would like to remind you that, in accordance with the right of effective application and the prohibition of discrimination, which is related to the principle of non-refoulement, which is the basic principle of international protection law and which provides complementary protection in human rights law, countries have an obligation to accept people who have left their countries due to war and violence and cannot return to their country of origin and to determine whether these people need protection regardless of their nationality, race, religion, language, gender identity, sexual orientation or without any other discrimination. In this context, people who had to leave Ukraine should be protected by the relevant states under the guidance of international principles. In addition, there is refugee status for those who left Ukraine before these attacks and could not return to Ukraine.

In accordance with the national legislation in Turkey, international protection should be provided to the people who came to Turkey from Ukraine due to the war and are in need of asylum, and those who are currently in Turkey and cannot return to Ukraine. We respectfully announce to the public that as Istanbul Bar Association Refugee and Immigrant Rights Center, we will follow up with the rights and legal services to be provided to those who fled the indiscriminate violence in Ukraine and cannot return to Ukraine  in cooperation with the European Bars Federation (Fédération des Barreaux d'Europe), which is dedicated  to ensure international coordination in this regard.

Istanbul Bar Association Refugee and Immigrant Rights Center