You're reading: Yuriy Lutsenko: ‘Their goal is to rob the country … with impunity’

The imprisoned former interior minister writes an open letter in his defense that calls on Ukrainians to stand up for their democratic rights.

Former Interior Minister Yuriy Lutsenko was arrested in Kyiv while walking his dog on Dec. 26 and has been jailed ever since, after a judge denied his bail request and ordered him held for at least two months.

Ukraine’s laws allow for up to 18 months of imprisonment before trial, which human rights groups say subverts the presumption of innocence and is unnecessary for non-violent criminals who are not at risk of fleeing.

Kyiv’s Pechersk district court jailed him for two months for failing to become familiar with charges of abuse of office against him, specifically allegations that he misspent up to $30,000.

Lutsenko says his alleged crime is hiring a driver two years older than allowed by ministry regulations, which caused the state Hr 40,000 ($5,000) in damages. He has dismissed the charges as political repression.

The Security Service (SBU) of Ukraine moved Lutsenko from an SBU jail to the Lukyanivskiy pre-trial confinement center on Dec. 28. Kyiv’s Court of Appeals denied Lutsenko bail on Jan. 5 and Lutsenko’s lawyers on Jan. 17 filed a complaint to the European Court of Human Rights protesting against his alleged illegal arrest.

Their goal is to destroy political opponents and establish an atmosphere of fear in order to rob the country and people with impunity.

The following is an English-language translation of Lutsenko’s open letter, released on Jan. 19 by his People’s Self-Defense Party:

I thank all those who supported me and my family. We feel this support and this is important for us.

Before God and the people, I swear that I am not guilty of any crime that is being “rigged” by top officials in the General Prosecutor’s Office.

The only reason for my imprisonment in the pre-trial Lykyanovskiy facity is to prevent me from speaking aloud about the resurgence of a “thugocracy” in Ukraine. I, like others in pre-trial police custody, am a prisoner of war of the criminal elements who have seized power in Ukraine.

Their goal is to destroy political opponents and establish an atmosphere of fear in order to rob the country and people with impunity. The current authorities have no morals and do not respect the law.

They bought parliament and now control the country’s law enforcement agencies, the courts and prosecutor’s office. The only thing they fear is popular resistance.

This year is a time for each person to take a stand. The pendulum of Ukrainian history is moving into a dark period. What happens next depends on the ability of Ukrainians to defend their families, their soul and the history of the country.

Do not remain silent!

Be united!

Glory to Ukraine!”

Yuriy Lutsenko.

Kyiv Post staff writer Peter Byrne can be reached at [email protected].