Yesterday human rights activists again asked the President to stop the illegal practice of decrees’ cryptment. If Viktor Yushchenko and his environment continue to ignore the appeals of human rights activists, an unpleasant for both parties judicial case is likely to take place.

Human rights activists didn’t get any feedback for the appeal sent on January 31 this year and received by the Secretariat of the President on February 3. According to Yevhen Zakharov, co-chairman of the Kharkiv human rights group, the head of the Ukrainian Helsinki Union for Human Rights, a director of the international society “Memorial” it is a brutal violation of the Law of Ukraine “About address of citizens” that determines a month term for reaction.

During this term signatures under the letter were gathered via the site “Maidan”. The letter was signed by 32 unions of citizens and 578 citizens not indifferent to the problem of the government’s openness – lawyers, programmers, state officials, journalists, researchers, businessmen, students, artists, literati, actors, musicians, etc. “The comments added to the signatures demonstrate that almost all these people were active participants of the electoral campaign and the Orange revolution and they all voted for you, Viktor Andriyovych, – our President”, – it is stated in the appeal.

According to the information made public by the human rights activists, during the period January 28 – March 1 more than 30 decrees were issued under the illegal (not mentioned in any law) stamp “Not to be published” and by this withheld from the society in contrary to the requirements of clauses 6, 19, 34 of the Constitution of Ukraine and the proclaimed principle of the government’s openness.

“Unfortunately we must state that there was no response for the appeal and we consider you have nothing to withhold from us in your decrees stamped “Not to be published” which are arbitrarily and illegally crypted by a functionary of the Secretariat.”

Participants of the press-conference expressed their expectation that the words of Viktor Yushchenko about openness and transparency of the government which are so impudently defamed by careless functionaries will be justified: the illegal practice of cryptment will be ceased and all normative-legal acts with the illegal stamps – declassified and made public.

Besides, the task of publishing such acts of the gone government is not of less importance, since, in the opinion of the human rights activists, these acts hid either benefits, privileges and corruption machinations of higher officials, or lobby political agreements.

“We supported you throughout the electoral campaign and support now, connecting with the President Yushchenko the hopes for Ukraine’s transformation into a legal state, responsible before its citizens where the basic constitutional principle of the supremacy of law is fully realized. That’s why we consider possible appealing to court as a very disappointing, forced but extremely necessary step to defend the Law and spirit of the Orange revolution – in case if it is the only way to secure law fulfillment by officials who consciously or unconsciously discredit the new government” – it is stated in the appeal.

Recently Yevhen Zakharov have sent the second appeal to Viktor Yushchenko, but if there is no feedback, human rights activists don’t rule out the possibility of appealing to court. “It will be a disappointing, forced but necessary step.”

Olena Holiuk

RUPOR