A/HRC/45/CRP.8 7. Torture and ill-treatment by law enforcement officials remained a systemic problem in Government-controlled territory. OHCHR notes that though the number of investigations into acts of torture or ill-treatment has increased, their effectiveness remains very low, with less than two percent of investigations resulting in criminal charges. 8. OHCHR welcomes the Constitutional Court’s ruling on the unconstitutionality of article 375 of the Criminal Code, which provides for criminal liability of judges for rendering “deliberately unjust” decisions. However, concerns persisted that conflict-related criminal trials are delayed due to the lack of judges resulting inter alia from the dissolution of the High Qualification Commission of Judges in October 2019. Delays have also continued in criminal proceedings related to accountability for grave human rights violations. Fair trial rights were further affected by quarantine measures introduced to prevent the spread of COVID-19, as it led to the exclusion of observers from courtrooms. 9. While law enforcement bodies continued to adequately secure assemblies, they sometimes applied quarantine measures arbitrarily to prevent a variety of protests. OHCHR is also concerned that attacks by extreme right-wing groups (ERWG) against assemblies and offices of political parties and political activists and their homes have increased, in the context of upcoming local elections in October. In territory controlled by self-proclaimed ‘republics’, coal miners were reportedly arrested after protesting delays in salary payments. 10. OHCHR documented seven incidents affecting four female and five male media workers, including those undertaking investigations in relation to COVID-19. In territory controlled by ‘Luhansk people’s republic’, OHCHR observed that fewer critical views were published on social media following amendments to ‘regulations’ introduced in December 2019. OHCHR also received information that indicates some employees of ‘public institutions’ of ‘Luhansk people’s republic’ holding Russian Federation citizenship were asked to justify their failure to participate in the referendum on amendments to the Constitution of the Russian Federation. 11. OHCHR documented five attacks against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people and feminist activists, including by ERWG. OHCHR is also concerned by hate speech directed against LGBTI people, notably online and against individuals in the street. Roma have also been subjected to hate speech by the authorities and in the media. 12. The lack of progress in elaborating a law on the realisation of the rights of indigenous people and national minorities continues to be of concern. 13. OHCHR welcomes the adoption of a procedure to facilitate voting by internally displaced people (IDPs) and internal labour migrants, although the Parliament’s recent adoption of amendments to the Electoral Code, which entered into force less than 100 days before local elections, gives little time to authorities and voters to adjust to the new regulations. 14. OHCHR monitored the impact of COVID-19 on the economic and social rights of those most affected by the pandemic. Groups that are in particularly vulnerable situations include Roma communities; older persons and persons with disabilities living in long-term care facilities: persons with disabilities living in the community; and persons living in homelessness. The rights most affected were the rights to health, work, education and an adequate standard of living. Women were also disproportionally affected by the pandemic. 15. In the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, and the city of Sevastopol, temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation6 (hereinafter Crimea), courts continued to pass judgments in apparent disregard of fair trial guarantees. Freedom of religion of different religious groups, notably Jehovah’s Witnesses, was also affected by the application of Russian Federation legislation in the occupied territory, contrary to international humanitarian law. 6 4 General Assembly resolution 73/263, Situation of human rights in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine, A/RES/73/263 (22 December 2018), para. 11.