Bid to block rebel funding rejected

The International Court of Justice on Wednesday rejected Ukraine’s request for measures aimed at blocking Russian support for rebels in eastern Ukraine, saying Kyiv did not provide enough evidence to back up its claim that Moscow sponsored terrorism by funding and arming the rebels.

Ukraine had asked the court to order Russia to shore up its border and prevent weapons, vehicles, people and money reaching the rebels while the case is heard in full, but the court refused.

However, in another element of Ukraine’s legal case against Russia, the world court imposed measures to rein in discrimination by Moscow against ethnic Tatars and other minorities in Crimea.

At hearings last month, Ukraine accused Russia of sponsoring terrorism by providing funds and weapons to rebels in Ukraine and of discriminating against Tatars and others in Crimea. Russia rejects the allegations.

The court took Ukraine’s side on allegations of discrimination in Crimea. In a 13-3 decision by judges, the court said Russia “must refrain from maintaining or imposing limitations on the ability of the Crimean Tatar community to conserve its representative institutions.”

Russia last year banned the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, a self-governing legislative body, calling it an extremist organization.

“It is clear that the Crimean Tatar factor here is being used as an instrument of pressure on Russia,” said Ruslan Balbek, a Russian parliament member from Crimea.

On Wednesday, the UN court’s judges also unanimously ordered Russia “to ensure the availability of education in the Ukrainian language” in Crimea. A separatist insurgency erupted in eastern Ukraine the following month, backed by Russia.

The case in The Hague, which also seeks reparations for the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine, adds a legal front to the bitter conflict.