We stand with Ukraine

The ongoing Russian invasion in Ukraine is an extreme violation of human rights. This is an act of unprovoked aggression by Russia.

We stand for a European continent that is peaceful, that is welcoming, that is a safe space for those fleeing from war or for those that need a place to rest.

At Justice & Peace, we are building communities and cities in the Netherlands that are built on empathy, solidarity, compassion, togetherness, and equality. Through Shelter City, we have been creating safe spaces across the Netherlands and the world for human rights defenders at risk to re-energise, receive tailormade support, and engage with local allies so they can continue their work more safely and effectively on their return. With our initiative Samen Hier, we are creating safe havens for people fleeing conflict and oppression where groups of local inhabitants welcome newcomers and together help build new lives. This is the Europe that we want, a Europe of peace and solidarity, and it’s a Europe we are actively building.

The conflict, war, and oppression happening now in Ukraine while the EU and the Dutch government watch on the sidelines is not our Europe.

We call on the Dutch government and Council of the EU to take serious and timely action. In this situation, extreme violence must be met with extreme actions. Every hour it takes for decisions to be made equals human lives lost. At this time, we call on the Dutch and US government and the Council of the EU to sanction and exclude Russia from SWIFT, the global financial transaction system. We demand Russia to abide by international law, and remove all military forces from the territory of Ukraine.

We stand with the people of Ukraine and with our friends, colleagues, and human rights defenders in and working tirelessly on the situation in Ukraine.

#StandwithUkraine

Last updated: 25 February 2022