aaus-list @ ukrainianstudies.org -- [aaus-list/a] Amnesty International: Ukr. opposition activistsarbitrarily detained

[Robert DeLossa <radelo@earthlink.net>]

[from Roman Senkus <r.senkus@utoronto.ca>; Roman has forwarded a 
number of important news items about the forthcoming Ukrainian 
election. My apologies to those for whom this will be a double 
post.--RD]


>AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
>PRESS RELEASE
>
>
>AI Index: EUR 50/004/2004 (Public)
>News Service No: 265
>25 October 2004
>
>Ukraine: Opposition activists arbitrarily detained
>
>It is particularly important that Ukraine demonstrate to the world 
>that it respects the right to freedom of expression in the run up to 
>the presidential elections later this month, Amnesty International 
>said today.
>
>"Recent events seem to demonstrate a disappointing disregard for 
>this right," the organization said.
>
>Amnesty International is concerned by reports that members of the 
>youth opposition organization PORA (It is time) are being subjected 
>to arbitrary arrest and harassment for the legitimate exercise of 
>their freedom of expression. PORA is a social campaign that 
>distributes leaflets and runs a satirical website encouraging people 
>not to vote for the government presidential candidate Viktor 
>Yanukovych. Reports monitored by AI include the following:
>    * Andrij Kulibaba, an activist in the Vinnytsya branch of the 
>youth opposition campaign PORA was detained by police on 20 October 
>without any explanation. On 21 October he was sentenced under the 
>Code on Administrative Infringements for "intentional disobedience 
>to demands of the police" to 10 days' detention. It was claimed that 
>he pushed a police officer and tore off a button from his jacket. He 
>was released suddenly on 23 October and told that his sentence had 
>been reduced to a fine.
>    * Alexander Pugach was detained in Vinnytsya on 21 October and 
>tried for allegedly refusing to give his name to the police, but the 
>witness statements were contradictory and he was acquitted. Within 
>minutes as he stood on the steps of the court house he was detained 
>again in front of witnesses, held for four hours in the police 
>station and then told that a criminal case had been started against 
>him for "hooliganism".
>    * In Kirovograd Alexander Tsitsenko was detained by masked police 
>on 21 October as he was collecting leaflets and stickers produced by 
>PORA for distribution. He was also accused of "intentional 
>disobedience towards the police", but the charges were dropped and 
>he was released on 25 October.
>    * Volodymyr Zakalyushny was detained in Kiev on 23 October while 
>distributing leaflets critical of Viktor Yanukovych at a concert. He 
>was taken to the Shevchenkovsky police station in Kiev and accused 
>of stealing a mobile phone for which he could face two years' 
>imprisonment.
>
>The number of such detentions that are taking place across Ukraine 
>and the numerous violations of procedures raise concerns that these 
>young people may have been detained for their legitimate and 
>peaceful opposition activities. If this is the case Amnesty 
>International would consider them prisoners of conscience and call 
>for their immediate and unconditional release.
>
>"We call on the Ukrainian authorities to respect the right to 
>freedom of expression and assembly and to allow the legitimate 
>expression of opposition views," Amnesty International said.
>
>Background
>Presidential elections will be held on 31 October. A big 
>demonstration over the weekend in support of the opposition 
>candidate Viktor Yushchenko demanded fair elections.
>
>During the last few weeks, searches and detentions of opposition 
>activists from a range of organizations have increased. On 14 
>October police claimed to have found bomb-making equipment in the 
>headquarters of PORA in Kiev although a first search during which 
>the police were accompanied by others turned up nothing, and the 
>equipment was only found when the police returned alone to the 
>office. Following this there were other searches and in Chernigiv 
>Oleksandr Lomakov a member of PORA is awaiting trial on weapons 
>charges for which he faces two to five years' imprisonment. Police 
>allegedly found a brown substance in his flat which may be an 
>explosive.
>
>The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has expressed 
>its concern about the conduct of the election campaign and has 
>called on the Ukrainian authorities "to conduct the election process 
>with absolute impartiality and respect for Council of Europe 
>standards and to allow all candidates to compete on fair and 
>equitable grounds."
>
>
>Public Document
>****************************************
>For more information please call Amnesty International's press 
>office in London, UK, on +44 20 7413 5566
>Amnesty International, 1 Easton St., London WC1X 0DW. web: 
><http://www.amnesty.org/>http://www.amnesty.org
>
>For latest human rights news view 
><http://news.amnesty.org/>http://news.amnesty.org
>