31-01-2012

The border guards of BS “Vinnytsya” of Mohylyov-Podilskyi Detachment together with workers of Ministry of Interior and representatives of State Migration Service conducted a monitoring in Vinnysya concerning the stay and residence of foreign citizens in the regional centre. After visiting some Vinnytsya addresses, they detected 6 persons – citizens of Somalia living on the territory of Ukraine illegally. Four Africans did not have any documents identifying them, and two other persons had passports of citizens of Somalia.

After examining the case. Vinnytsya Administrative Court directed four illegal migrants to Temporary Accommodation Centre “Zhuravychi” in Volyn region. Two other Somalis will be soon deported beyond the territory of Ukraine.

Source:http://www.pvu.gov.ua/control/uk/publish/article?art_id=143298&cat_id=48886

26-12-2012

It is necessary to as soon as possible approve the regulatory documents for improvement of the mechanism of protection of rights of children, separated from their families and arrived to the territory of Ukraine as refugees.
This was said by the President’s ombudsman for children Yurii Pavlenko in Uzhhorod during the interdepartmental meeting for the issues of protection of refugee children and asylum seekers, as was stated in the press service of the President of Ukraine.

“In particular, this concerns the procedure of determination of their age, appointment of legal representatives; execution of the Law “On refugees and persons, in need of additional or temporary protection”, of the Conception of state migratory policy, approved by the President, and the Decree “On the issues of ensuring the rights of children in Ukraine”, Pavlenko noted.

The representatives of the Uzhhorod Regional State Administration, State Migration Service, State Border Services, Ministries of Education and Health, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Administration of Activity of the President’s ombudsman for children, heads of the children’s services, and representatives of public and international organizations took part in the meeting.

By the results of the meeting, the plan of actions was adopted and its responsible executors were defined.
Source: http://www.ihrpex.org/en/article/2373/pavlenko_rights_of_refugee_children_in_zakarpattia_must_be_improved

25-01-2012

On January 24, border guards of BS “Uzhgorod” of Chop Border Detachment detected a group of people (5) of Asian appearance in Uzhgorod during the check of possible places of stay of illegal migrants. Later on, the reasons on migrants’ staying in Uzhgorod were clarified and their citizenship was established. They were the citizens ofAfghanistanand had “Documents on appeal for protection inUkraine” issued in Transcarpathian region and valid before February 3, 2012. And everything would be finished for Asians positively if they had not violated the rules on stay inUkraine, namely: the place of registration and residence was Mukachevo and not Uzhgorod in the above mentioned documents. Whether Afghanis intended to “attack” the border and get toWestern Europeit will be established later – so far no protocols are prepared which will be passed to the court.

It should be marked that sanction of Article 203 of Code of Ukraine on Administrative Infringements foresees administrative responsibility in the form of the penalty in the sum of 850 UAH.

Source: http://ua-reporter.com/novosti/112394

25-01-2012
January 25, 2012 (UNHCR) – The 10th Inter-agency meeting of representatives from migration and border authorities, municipal child care services, judges, non-governmental organizations, the Ombudsman on Children Rights in Ukraine Mr. Yuriy Pavlenko, representatives of local authorities, the Governor’s Office and UNHCR’s Regional Representation for Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine, the International Organization for Migration and Danish Refugee Council was convened in Uzgorod…

Source: http://www.unhcr.org.ua/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=641:press-release-inter-agency-meeting-in-zakarpattya-region-ukraine&catid=15:novoosti&Itemid=140&lang=en

23-01-2012

Last week 57 Somalis went on hunger strike at Temporary Holding Facility (THF) in Volyn. Illegal migrants demand immediate release and issue of documents for legitimate residence in Ukraine. However Migration Service reports: the hunger strike of the Somalis is a “play to audience”. What is real situation – it was examined by our correspondents.
THF is in the village of Zhuravychi. There are 126 migrants here. There are 57 migrants from Somalia among them. Forty of them refused to visit dining room a week ago. “But it does not mean that they do not eat”, – the staff of the centre says.

Oleksandr Lukaschuk, deputy director of THF:

– They eat food, which they get by parcels from friends living in Ukraine or beyond its borders. Not all visit the dining room.

Somalis do not have claims to administration and holding conditions. They are not satisfied by the Law of Ukraine, which came into force on December 25, 2012. Now, illegal migrants are kept at THFs not six months as it was before, but a year. So to say, this fact breaks their rights. Human Rights Organization Amnesty International has spoken in support of Africans and appealed to Ukrainian power to release the migrants from Somalia and to guarantee them right for protection. The representatives of local Refugee Department visited the centre in Zhuravychi.
Nataliya Naumenko, director of Refugee Department of Migration Service of Ukraine:

– The trip was organized with the aim to be convinced that the statement of such respectful organization as’ Amnesty International” as to violation of human rights, in particular Somali foreigners staying at this establishment, is more excogitated than is real.

It was not succeeded to get any comments from Somalis. According to the words of the management team of the centre, they refused categorically to talk “on camera”.  Instead, they spent some hours talking with representative f UNO. According to their words, they managed to get on well with Somalis.

Noel Kalhun, regional counselor on legal issues of Supreme Commissar of UNO:

– These are people fleeing from such a serious situation as in Somalia. It gives them hope that they at least got to a safe place. People heard about the procedure they would undergo, what they should expect. Because they wanted to hear what are the further steps. They heard that Migration Service would accept their applications, it would consider applications concerning different forms of protection.

State Migration Service assures that they keep all resolutions of UNO concerning Somalis. They will not be sent to the country of their origin. However, first they will check once more if migrants are really from Somalia. And then, a decision will be made as to each f them. Four migrants wished to get refugee status and have already written corresponding applications.

Authors: Hanna Shulgina, Oleksandra Fetysova. Cameraman: Vitaliy Havrylets. First National TV.
Source: http://1tv.com.ua/ru/news/2012/01/23/14745

23-01-2012

On January 20, 2012, UNHCR Regional Representative for Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine Mr. Oldrich Andrysek had a meeting with the newly appointed Head of the State Migration Service of Ukraine (SMS) Mr. Kovalchuk to brief him about the activities of UNHCR in  Ukraine and to discuss issues related to the development of the asylum system in Ukraine…

Source: http://www.unhcr.org.ua/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=639:press-release-unhcr-regional-representative-meets-with-the-newly-appointed-head-of-the-state-migration-service-of-ukraine&catid=15:novoosti&Itemid=140&lang=en

21-01-2012

Release of Somali migrants who went on strike at Temporary Holding Facility in the village of Zhuravychi, Volyn, is impossible at the present moment. It was announce about by director of Refugee Department of State Border Service Nataliya Naymenko.

Recall, on January 18, 2012 it became known about the hunger strike of some tens of Somalis at THF in Zhuravychi, who demand release and issue of documents for staying in Ukraine. Rebellious mood of Somalis was confirmed by the direction of the centre. However, the deputy director of regimen of THF of MOI of Ukraine in Volyn region Oleksandr Luschak marked “there is no hunger strike as such” as illegal migrants eat biscuits, tea and “Mivina” (macaroni).

Naumenko informed that Somalis receive packets with food and they refused to get meals from dining room. “On my point of view, this hunger strike is mostly a play to audience. The story starts from the moment when persons learned about the fact that they will be hold in such a centre not six months but a year in accordance to new legislation, which came into force on December 25,2011”, – reported Naumenko.

Migration Service informed that first they have to establish if detainees are really Somalis. “If the fact that migrants arrived fromSomaliais established, so long-term decisions will be made on each case separately. But they will not be expelled toSomaliain no any wise.” – Naumenko explained. She stated that release of the Somali migrants is impossible.

At the present moment there are 58 migrants from Somalia under arrest at THF “Zhuravychi” waiting for deportation.

State Migration Service convince of the fact that Ukraine keeps all resolutions of UNO as to citizens declaring their arrival from Somalia.
In its letter to Minister of Interior of Ukraine, organization Amnesty International appealed to  Ukrainian authorities to implement all their obligations guaranteeing Somalis’ access to just procedure of refugee status and subsidiary protection granting in case they cannot be recognized as refugees.
Amnesty International states that there are probably children among the third part of detainees. However, Naumenko assured that all persons placed to centres are adult.

Source: http://www.volynpost.com/news/1264-somalijci-goloduyut-na-publiku–migracijna-sluzhba

18-01-2012

On January 16, the border guards of Belgorod-Dnistrovk Detachment serving the check point “Starokozache” detected documents belonging to bearer. There were forged marks done by the representatives of State Border Service.

During the registration of the regular bus making its route from Odessa to Kysheniv the officers of Border Department paid attention to man who was travelling with three children. 29-year-old passenger was the citizens of Denmark who as if was travelling with his children. However, during the check of the documents it was cleared out that passport really belonged to this man but children were travelling with strange documents. There was also a woman with a child detected in the bus who presented the documents of citizens of Great Britain for control. Their documents also belonged to someone else. The thing is that law enforcement agents detected forged marks in all documents of the representatives of State Border Service. In the course of the check one more document was found at woman for one more child.

As it was clarified later, the man came to Ukrainian order to help the citizen of Somalia and her children to get to the countries of EU. On this purpose he took some passport document with him. In addition to that passports were of his children. They decided to get to European countries through the neighbouring Moldova for some reason or other expecting that on this direction they will successfully cross the border. One more Somali helped them in preparation to illegal trip. But they were not managed to be left unnoticed as border guards in the south exposed such cunning “travellers” not for the first time. At the present moment all conditions of infringement are established now. The citizen of Denmark and Somalia will probably be called to criminal responsibility according to Article 332 of CCU “Illegal transportation of persons through the state border of Ukraine”.

Source: http://pvu.gov.ua/control/uk/publish/article?art_id=141892&cat_id=62916

18-01-2012

There are some tens of Somalis went on hunger strike at Temporary Holding Facility (THF) in the village of Zhuravychi, Kivertskyi district, Volyn region. They demand release and issue of documents permitting them to stay in Ukraine.

Kyiv Post writes about this referring to very participants of the hunger strike and human rights activist.

«We became the hostages of situation, when we cannot receive any document for staying on the territory of Ukraine and without documents we are detained by police and are hold by months at THFs», – it is said in the statement of the hunger strikers.
«Persons can stay at THF up to 12 months, then they are just released not issuing them any documents. Thus, the  most of them find themselves again at THF. «Some of us faced already this some times and in addition to it there a lot of us living on the territory of Ukraine already 5-6 years», – Sultan Haib, representative of the hunger strikers says.

According to his words, State Migration Service does not give any documents to asylum seekers in Ukraine due to which they could stay in Ukraine legally until receiving the decision on refugee status granting.

The procedure of refugee status grating in Ukraine is complicated by the fact that State Committee of Nationalities and Religions was liquidated last year and new body engaged in migration issues, – State Migration Service – yet is not formed.

«Those of us having this status before cannot prolong it. In such a way they have to become illegal migrants, thus in a result we are detained», – Haib says.

Somalis tell that because of such situation in Ukraine some of them tried to cross the border to European Union illegally in order to ask asylum there. but unfortunately, they were apprehended by Ukrainian border guards.

«So, we neither live here nor look for better destiny in other countries. We are not criminals, we people fleeing from Somalia in order to save our life”, – Haib says.

The human rights activists report that at THF in Zhuravychi, Volyn region Somalis are on hunger strike “at least a week”.

«At the present moment we cannot verify the exact number of hunger strikers, however it is clear that there are some dozens. It is known that there are women and children among them», –  reports Maksym Butkevych from “No Borders” engaged in help to refugees and asylum seekers.

“Now we can not verify how many hungry people, but it is clear that several dozen. We know that among them are women and minors, “- said Maxim Butkevych of the project” No Borders “, which deals with refugees and asylum seekers.

Unofficial information about the hunger strike is also confirmed by international human rights organizations, but so far there are no official comment.

State Migration Service still does not answer to the questions Kyiv Post about the situation in Zhuravychi.

Somalia is recognized as a country where constant danger is threatened to people’s lives. The expel of the citizens asking asylum in another country, is prohibited.

Despite the fact that Ukraine ratified the Convention on Refugees’ Rights, and therefore it obliged to grant refugee status to people who are in danger in their countries, there are very few of those seeking status get it. So, in 2010 the figure was only about 10%.

As of 2010, there were only 2 000 334 refugees living in Ukraine.

Source: http://www.volynpost.com/news/1183-u-zhuravychah-nelegaly-ogolosyly-goloduvannia

18-01-2012

Three citizens of Vietnam were apprehended by the border guards of BS “Uzhgorod” in Transcarpathian region.  A man and two women were stopped some hundred metres before the border. According to the words of detainees it became known that they intended to get to Poland, particularly to Warsaw. They were transported to the border as if by two unfamiliar persons whom they paid $ 3 thousand each. But the men in masks taking them to the forest ordered migrants to wait. Then they went to the car and disappeared in unknown direction. On arriving to Warsaw,Vietnams had to pay some more thousands of dollars. Now, operative actions are carried out on establishment of circumstances of the infringement and persons involved in it.

Source: http://www.ua-reporter.com/novosti/112100