Russia shares the concerns of the experts of the UN Human Rights Observer Mission in Ukraine regarding the continuing degradation of the position of civil society in the country. This is stated in the commentary of the official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Maria Zakharova, published on Wednesday, December 15, at website foreign policy department of Russia.
According to the diplomat, the deterioration of the situation of civil society in Ukraine became especially noticeable on the eve, during and after the elections to local authorities in the fall of 2020.
“The UN members rightly note that hate statements, threats and manifestations of violence against political and public figures, media representatives, human rights defenders and bloggers, beating them and causing damage to their property have become commonplace in Ukraine,” Zakharova stressed.
The representative of the ministry also pointed out that it is not the first time that UN observers testify to the cleansing of the country’s political space from opposition forces by the Ukrainian authorities.
“We also note that, according to international experts, the objects of pressure and violence are mainly pro-Russian citizens of Ukraine, including those who openly criticize the discriminatory law on the state language,” she added.
At the same time, as Zakharova noted, referring to the report of the UN Observer Mission, the law enforcement agencies of Ukraine are inactive and are unable or unwilling to take measures to protect all groups of the population. Political and nationalistic motives are completely ignored, the diplomat noted.
“This situation cannot but cause serious concern. We agree with the conclusions of the UN experts that such a state of affairs frees the hands of neo-Nazis and other extremist elements, ”said the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Earlier, on November 2, the Pechersky District Court of Kiev elected the head of the political council of the Ukrainian party “Opposition Platform – For Life” Viktor Medvedchuk as a measure of restraint in the form of personal obligations in the first treason case. The measure provides for imposing certain duties on the suspect, including being summoned to the investigator, in court, not leaving the city of residence and handing over passports to travel abroad.
The politician himself said that the case of treason and the embezzlement of national resources in Crimea was falsified by the Security Service of Ukraine. In addition, he noted that the court’s decision to choose a preventive measure was illegal and there were no grounds for this.
On October 12, the Pechersky District Court of Kiev again sent Medvedchuk under round-the-clock house arrest for a period until December 7. The court did not support the petition of the prosecutor’s office to take the politician into custody with the appointment of a bail of 1 billion hryvnia (about $ 38 million).
Medvedchuk, in turn, said that one should not count on a trial if “he is given instructions from the office” of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He called the criminal prosecution in his relation illegal, and the case – fabricated and open with the aim of destroying the opposition in the country.
On October 8, a new suspicion was announced to Medvedchuk under articles on treason and assistance to terrorism. According to the investigation, it is about actions aimed at undermining the energy independence of Ukraine.
The head of the political council of the OLE is also accused of attempted plunder of national resources. His colleague Taras Kozak is also involved in the case.
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