A number of prominent Ukrainian scholars, writers and academics have written a letter to the European Court of Human Rights asking the Court to give attention to the prosecution and continued remand in custody of former Minister of Internal Affairs and leader of the People’s Self-Defence Party, Yury Lutsenko.

“We are convinced that the Ukrainian public, who are experiencing difficult times with the threat of authoritarianism, view this case as a test of whether it is possible to achieve justice. The inappropriately harsh preventive measure which is explained with truly Kafkaesque arguments against a background of acquittals over much more serious charges undermines faith in the justice system and demoralizes society.

It is clear to all that the charges against the former Minister are of a highly selective nature and that an unproven administrative infringement is being given criminal content. The inappropriate nature of the preventive deprivation of liberty bears all the hallmarks of the non-legal motives of the Ukrainian law enforcement system and leads one to suspect the wish for personal vengeance and to intimidate the public.

Since time is of the essence in this case we would ask for it to be examined as soon as possible.”

Yury Andrukhovych, writer

Orest Drul, political analyst, Head of Zakhidna Analytychna Hrupa [Western Analytical Group]

Yaroslav Hrytsak, historian, Director of the Historical Research Institute of the Lviv Ivan Franko National University

Roman Kechur, doctor

Serhiy Kvit, President of the Kyiv Mohyla Academy

Zvenyslava Mamchur, Vice-Chancellor of the Lviv Ivan Franko National University

Ihor Markov, Head of the Ethno-Social Research Department of the Institute of Ethnology

Myroslav Marynovych, Deputy Rector of the Ukrainian Catholic University, President of the Ukrainian PEN club, former political prisoner

Myroslav Popovych, Member of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences

Taras Prokhasko, writer

Mykola Riabchuk, writer and publicist

Taras Stetskiv, National Deputy [MP]

Ivan Vakarchuk, Rector of the Lviv Ivan Franko National University

Yury Vinnychuk, writer

Taras Voznyak, Chief Editor of the Journal «Ї»