12.03.2013

Human rights defence special force about to begin work

In the near future an expert team of human rights activists made up of professional defence lawyers will begin work in Ukraine. 25 lawyers, chosen from fierce competition (10 applicants for each place) are taking part in a unique educational programme for defence lawyers on International Law in Human Rights Work.

11.03.2013

Ukrainian Government has ignored a number of very important UPR recommendations

As civic organizations and coalitions of NGOs that prepared alternative reports on Ukraine’s observance of human rights as part of the Universal Periodic Review [UPR] procedure, we welcome the Ukrainian Government’s acceptance of many of the recommendations received during the second UPR cycle.

07.03.2013

Activists hold solidarity rally with Chinese human rights defender Liu Xiaobo

On 6 March a meeting in solidarity with imprisoned Chinese human rights defender Liu Xiaobo was held in Kyiv. Outside the Chinese embassy participants created a huge picture of Liu Xiaobo out of many jigsaw pieces.

05.03.2013

TOP 6 absurd court bans on peaceful assembly

Members of the Partnership “For Freedom of Peaceful Assembly” have issued a list of the TOP 6 court orders which violated the right to peaceful assembly.

04.03.2013

Who will compensate Ukrainians for the millions lost in the European Court?

The Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union will force Ukraine to answer for failure to enforce court rulings. Members of the organization have won three cases in the European Court of Human Rights thanks to which the victims of actions by the authorities will receive 9 thousand EUR.

27.02.2013

Human rights groups: human rights in 2012 – more flies, than ointment

On 27 February 2012 the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union presented the annual report prepared by human rights organizations Human Rights in Ukraine – 2012.

25.02.2013

Human rights activists: fight against discrimination is only to con the EU

The Coalition against Discrimination in Ukraine asserts that anti-discrimination legislation in Ukraine is not being formulated to protect human rights, but merely for the purpose of visa liberalization with the European Union. The latest draft law from the Justice Ministry,which the public were not included in the discussion of, again fails to contain adequate effective mechanisms for defending victims.

22.02.2013

Ternopil police officers bought marihuana to improve statistics

This was established by the Ternopil Regional Court of Appeal during examination of a criminal case against a person charged with selling narcotic substances. The court ascertained that police officers had come upon a man who had found marihuana crops and not destroyed them, instead carefully concealing them.

22.02.2013

If you want to have something, be ready to defend it (folk wisdom)

Property rights are perhaps the most frequently infringed of any. This was the message from members of human rights organizations during a press club “How can ordinary Ukrainians protect their property”.

19.02.2013

Data protection

This booklet is intended to provide an overview of some of the key issues and jargon surrounding data protection in the digital environment.

19.02.2013

High Administrative Court orders 10-day prior notification of peaceful protests

Ukraine’s High Administrative Court has bound Kyiv picketers to submit notification of their planned events 10 days in advance. Its ruling was issued on 23 January 2013 with regard to a suit lodged by the Kyiv City State Administration against the association of people with invalid conditions “Chornobyl Union Ukraine”.

15.02.2013

Kyiv to get a Human Rights House

A Human Rights House is soon to appear in Kyiv, founded by 10 influential Ukrainian human rights organizations. The move has been initiated by the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union.

12.02.2013

Ales Bialiatski nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize

Imprisoned Belarusian human rights defender has been nominated for the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize together with Russian human rights defender Ludmila Alexeyeva. Their names were put forward by Norwegian legal experts. The Belarusian human rights defender is serving a prison sentence over a fabricated and politically motivated charge of tax evasion.

12.02.2013

No Picketing, Disperse them

Does Ukraine need a law regulating freedom of peaceful assembly? This was the topic which experts, members of NGO and officials met to discuss at a roundtable entitled “Defining avenues of legislative defence of freedom of peaceful assembly”.

08.02.2013

UN names three weak points in Ukrainian court system

The issue of reform of Ukraine’s judicial system is topical both within Ukraine and beyond. Judicial independence was one of the most frequently mentioned during Ukraine’s Universal Periodic Review in Geneva in October 2012. Member states gave Ukraine more than 20 recommendations on improving the situation in this sphere.

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