A group of lawyers representing former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych issued a statement on Friday calling on the world's leaders to take action to protect human rights and restore the rule of law and democracy in Ukraine
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th December, 2018) A group of lawyers representing former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych issued a statement on Friday calling on the world's leaders to take action to protect human rights and restore the rule of law and democracy in Ukraine.
On Wednesday, Yanukovych was not allowed to give the last word during the hearings of his state treason case at court, which, according to the ex-president's lawyers, was a grave violation of his rights.
"In person of Victor Yanukovych the Ukrainian government violated rights of millions of Ukrainians who had voted for him ... Western partners of Ukraine are concerned that the integrity of the ongoing trial of President Yanukovych does not comply with accepted standards insuring fairness and procedural integrity ... Taking into account the aforesaid, we request that the ... action is taken by you with the purpose of protecting basic human rights in Ukraine, restoring democracy and supremacy of law," the statement read.
The lawyers stressed that the trial on Yanukovych was a blatant example of the collapse of the rule of law in the country, arguing that the legal proceedings against the former president had nothing to do with fairness and legality from the early beginning.
"In fact we have witnessed a clumsy effort of political revenge of the government against its political opponent and millions of his supporters. The compromised nature of the rule of law in Ukraine makes Western partners of Ukraine suspect that human rights abuses will continue to escalate," the statement added.
The lawyers emphasized that the Ukrainian authorities must stop exerting illegal pressure against individuals involved in the trial on Yanukovych, namely, investigators, courts and journalists.
"[We] demand from the Ukrainian authorities to institute procedural and substantive safeguards though independent monitors to observe the trial, while existing trial procedures be set to halt until independent observers can be identified and engaged," the lawyers stated.
In June 2017, a Ukrainian court began a hearing on the merits of the case of state treason against Yanukovych, one of a number of criminal cases that the new authorities of Ukraine have brought against the former president, who was overthrown in 2014 by what many considered to be a coup. The country's prosecution is seeking a life sentence for Yanukovych. The self-exiled politician has denied any wrongdoing.
