You're reading: PACE members are concerned about political persecution in Ukraine

Members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) expressed deep concern over the persecution in Ukraine of the representatives of civil society and political activists by the Ukrainian Security Service, according to the Official website of Yulia Tymoshenko.

”We stress the need to reform the Security Service, particularly to withdraw the right of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) to conduct ordinary criminal investigations, as mentioned in the Resolution of the Assembly 1755 (2010),” as said in the statement today, supported by 29 members, representing the various countries of the Council of Europe at the PACE.

The members also declare about the unacceptability of detention in Ukraine of a large number of opposition politicians, former government members on charges that are basically political. ”Today, previous political decisions are essentially criminalized, regardless of their quality. An investigation of political decisions is the exclusive privilege of the parliament,” as, said in the statement.

”In a democratic society authorities and the opposition should be able to freely express their position at both the national and international levels. Restrictions on movement imposed on a large number of leading opposition figures on dubious grounds is unacceptable for a truly democratic society,” PACE members insist.

They are convinced that the current chairmanship of Ukraine at the Committee of Ministers imposes certain responsibilities on the Ukrainian side to set an example in adhering to high standards. ”If this is true, then the opposition leaders, such as Yulia Tymoshenko, should be able to freely visit Strasbourg to attend the session of the Assembly,” as said in the statement.
”We urge the speakers of the Monitoring Committee to make these issues a priority during their next visit and report to the Assembly,” said members of PACE.