The suspension of passport issuance and renewal by the Ukrainian authorities in April 2024 revealed a troubling reality: none of the existing organizations — either in the Czech Republic or elsewhere in the EU — stood up to defend the rights of Ukrainians.

All initiative groups, protests, and official appeals were organized by ordinary activists. It was in the summer of 2024, in the “Return the Passports” chat, that the idea first emerged to create a civil organization that would formally represent the interests of Ukrainians in matters related to passport issuance and renewal.

However, the decision to establish the organization was postponed for more than half a year. Over time, we came to realize that the issue was much broader. We therefore decided to expand our mission to address all matters concerning violations of Ukrainians rights outside Ukraine.

Our activities are not limited to the country where the organization is registered (i.e., the Czech Republic), as Ukrainians frequently face similar rights violations in various countries. We are ready to submit appeals to the authorities of any state — as long as they are supported by your letters detailing the specific problems encountered.

The creation of an official civil organization has given us a significant advantage in engaging with government authorities across the EU and with international human rights institutions. Official bodies take requests from organizations much more seriously than individual appeals, which are often ignored.

We speak on behalf of all Ukrainians living outside Ukraine. We oppose the voluntary-forced return that the Ukrainian authorities continue trying to impose on us❗️