The bloodstains in the Minsk snow offset whatever liberal advances the authorities tolerated during the election campaign.Even more puzzling are the numerous accounts indicating that it was agents of the authorities -- provocateurs -- who began the assault on the government building that was the official pretext for the bloody crackdown
29.12.10
According to one of the coordinators of the protest against the new Tax Code, on Tuesday evening a court remanded in custody three of the protesters on Maidan Nezalezhnosti [Independence Square] in Kyiv
On 22 December 2010 a law was passed which forces small shareholders to sell their shares to a large shareholder or joint group of shares owning more than 95% of the company’s shares
With regard to the detention of Yury Lutsenko, Ms Karpachova stated that “it is absolutely incomprehensible and unacceptable when one criminal investigation is initiated and the person is detained on another case altogether”
27.12.10
The new draft law, presented by the President two weeks before important anti-corruption laws should have come into force but were instead revoked, removes any demand for income declarations
23.12.10 | Halya Coynash
Among the very many worrying aspects of this case is the fact that the charges are based on material posted on Dmytro Groisman’s LiveJournal blog.
22.12.10
The President constantly asserts that his aim is to build a European-style democratic State. The best proof of this would be to stop the prosecution of the political opposition under the guise of fighting misuse of power.
The first instance court has rejected historian Hennady Ivanushchenko’s suit seeking to be reinstated in his post as Director of the Sumy Regional State Archive following his dismissal on rather questionable grounds
20.12.10
Despite initial denials that any racist epitets had been used, the investigation established that the police officer in speaking with the journalist had expressed himself improperly
In stating that historian Ruslan Zabily was in position of documents stamped “secret”, the Head of the Security Service, Valery Khoroshkovsky saw fit to ignore the fact that the Soviet stamp “sekretno” has no relation to Ukraine’s state secrets
11.12.10 | Arkady Bushchenko
The Kharkiv Human Rights Group considers that Yakov Strogan’s arrest and remand in custody is revenge for his attempts to have the police officers who tortured him brought to answer
Laureates for this ignominious anti-award bestowed on the worst human rights offenders during the year include the Minister of Internal Affairs A. Mohylyov for deliberate disregard for human rights and the Head of the Security Service [SBU], V. Khoroshkovsky for systematic restriction of civil liberties
09.12.10
Information has been received from Yakov Strogan’s lawyer suggesting that the police are organizing his client’s arrest. He would be charged with causing bodily injury although he is most likely himself a victim of police torture
An Open letter to Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs expressing concern over Ukraine’s placing of political and economic benefits above respect for human rights and democracy
Members of the Venice Commission, visiting Ukraine, have expressed concern over the removal of most of the Supreme Court’s powers, as well as some of the powers given the High Council of Justice
03.12.10
Civic organizations are concerned over the flagrant disregard shown by the Minister of Internal Affairs and other MIA leadership to fundamental human rights and a serious deterioration in the situation over the last 10 months
Well-known historian of Holodomor 1932-1933 and the liberation movement, Hennady Ivanushchenko has been dismissed from his post as Director of the Sumy Regional State Archive on less than convincing grounds.
03.12.10
The Kharkiv Human Rights Group has expressed concern over certain features of the proposed Housing Code and calls for widespread discussion of its provisions
This latest infringement of freedom of peaceful assembly is particularly repugnant given that the protesters are seeking justice for those who caused their children’s death in road accidents
After much lobbying and deliberate delays, the resolution is ready for voting. As can be seen, it makes fairly hard-hitting statements regarding concerns over the elections, the role of the Security Services, freedom of speech and others.
