The Estonian Human Rights Centre supports a strategic lawsuit for Tymur, a Ukrainian citizen from Crimea, whose driver’s license is issued by the Russian Federation, as is the case with all documents for Ukrainians living in occupied territories. It appears that the Estonian state selectively recognizes documents of Ukrainian refugees, failing to acknowledge, for example, driver’s licenses and educational diplomas issued in occupied territories.
Dozens of Ukrainians fleeing the war have approached the Estonian Human Rights Centre with similar issues. Since Estonia does not recognize some documents proving the skills or education of certain refugees, they cannot work in jobs that match their abilities or qualifications. In other words, we treat Ukrainian refugees who have fled the war and received international protection from the Estonian state differently, penalizing those from occupied territories because part of Ukraine is occupied by their hostile neighboring country.
Tymur is represented in court by sworn advocates Steven-Hristo Evestus and Anneli Aab. We are collecting donations to cover Tymur’s legal expenses. Donation link.
More about the case (in Estonian).
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