20.11.2009

Human rights defenders stop deportation of eight Afghan asylum seekers

On Thursday the deportation of eight Afghan asylum seekers to Afghanistan was through the combined efforts of many prevented. As reported already, on Wednesday a family of 8 from Afghanistan with four children, aged from 3 to 9, flew into the Boryspil Airport in Kyiv. They informed border guards that they wished to seek asylum in Ukraine, however the Ukrainian border guards did not accept their applications and left them in the airport in the transit zone.

18.11.2009

The UN Refugee Agency urges Ukraine to refrain from returning of 8 nationals of Afghanistan apprehended in Kyiv Boryspil airport until their protection needs are assessed

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is concerned about the fate of eight nationals of Afghanistan who were apprehended in Boryspil airport today while transiting to London. The group consisting of five minors (4-10 y.o.), one teenager and two women, including an elderly one (65 y.o.) is currently awaiting return in Boryspil airport.

17.09.2009

Russian journalist with asylum in Ukraine called in for questioning

Over the last few days various media outlets have had worrying headlines even suggesting that Alexander Kosvintsev, a Russian journalist granted asylum in Ukraine, might have his refugee status removed. On 17 September during a session of the Lviv City Council, a Deputy from the “Pora” party Andriy Bilous read out a statement expressing concern at the actions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs [MIA]. The statement reads: “From media reports we have learned that on 14 September in Kyiv, journalist Alexander Kosvintsev was detained.”

08.09.2009

New regulations could pose a threat to asylum seekers

Since 25 August 2009 the State Border Guard Service has introduced spot checks at border passes to ascertain that foreign nationals and stateless persons from a number of countries have sufficient funds to pay for their stay in Ukraine. The relevant Order No. 519 was issued by the State Border Guard Service on 14 July. On 2 September six people from the Democratic Republic of the Congo were sent back from Ukraine to their place of origin. According to media reports, this was on the basis of the new Order. The reports suggest that at least one may have been a potential asylum seeker however a representative from the UNHCR was not allowed to see him.

04.08.2009

Prosecutor General has no idea what confidential information is

In June 2009 Ukraine violated one of the fundamental principles regarding the protection of refugees’ rights, the principle of confidentiality, by passing information contained in refugees’ files to the country of their origin. This resulted in criminal cases being opened against people who had provided testimony about persecution of the refugees in Kazakhstan.

22.06.2009

Ukraine – no hospitable place for refugees

An interview given by Maxim Butkevych, coordinator of “Without borders” on the eve of World Refugee Day.

19.02.2009

Non-rhetorical questions to the Minister of Internal Affairs

In times of crisis and uncertainty people want to know that there are those out there concerned for their safety. When, in turn, those out there have an interest in gaining a new leading role, it is worth making themselves known, demonstrating decisiveness and initiative. If with his visa initiatives, the Minister of Internal Affairs Yury Lutsenko wanted to convince Ukrainian nationals and others that his department is ready to maintain law and order in the country and can worthily fulfil the new role it is to take on, I rather fear he miscalculated.

22.01.2009

Rights of political refugees in Ukraine

«Rights of political refugees in Ukraine» – approximately in this way, in the most general words, the theme of my report, previously approved with organizers, was formulated. But in these recent days when I have been mentally coming back to my future speech at forum I was completely unable to get rid of importunate reflections about total suppression of political refugees’ rights. That’s why the theme, apparently, must have been formulated otherwise: “Suppression of political refugees’ rights in Ukraine”.

08.12.2008

Uzbek asylum seeker released by Ukrainian court

On Monday evening 8 December, the Holosiyivsky District Court in Kyiv rejected an application to hold Abdumalik Bakaev, Uzbekistan national, in custody for 40 days pending extradition to Uzbekistan.

24.10.2008

European Court of Human Rights gives a judgement in the extradition case - SOLDATENKO V. UKRAINE

On the 28 September 2008, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the extradition of Nikolay Ivanovich Soldatenko to Turkmenistan would constitute a violation of Article 3 (prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment) as well as a breach of Article 13 (right to an effective remedy) and of Article 5 §1 (f) and §4 (right to liberty and security).

03.09.2008

On the agenda

The war in Georgia has highlighted two fundamental points. Ukraine’s choice is and must remain firmly directed at the fullest possible European integration. And secondly, Ukraine’s stability and development as a law-based democracy is crucial for the stability of Europe itself. Put most crudely, we are all in it together and urgently need to support one another.

04.08.2008

Position of the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union regarding the extradition of a refugee by Ukraine’s Prosecutor General

On 30 July 2008 the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union (UHHRU) issued an open appeal over the flagrant violation by the Prosecutor General of domestic and international law in extraditing a refugee to his country of origin.

01.08.2008

The Prosecutor General must go!

A law-based democracy is no utopia and we need people to protect us from those who treat the law with contempt. For this reason, those in authority bear particular liability if they abuse the trust society must be able to place in them.

30.07.2008

The Prosecutor General has overstepped domestic and international law. What next? - Open Appeal from the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union

During the night of 28-29 July 2008 a Russian national Oleg Kuznetsov was, in enforcement of a decision by the Prosecutor General Oleksandr Medvedko extradited to Russia. Mr Kuznetsov had been granted refugee status in Ukraine, yet was handed over to the country which he fled from due to well-founded fear that he could be subjected to torture and ill-treatment, as well as other human rights violations.

29.07.2008

Ukraine’s Prosecutor General extradites recognized refugee to Russia

On 28 July the Prosecutor General, flouted a recent court ruling, as well as Ukraine’s domestic legislation and international commitments, by sending Oleg Kuznetsov back to the Russian Federation

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