Editor’s Note: Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird today issued the following statement on Feb. 27.
“The conviction of the former minister of the interior of Ukraine, Yuri Lutsenko, continues a troubling trend in Ukraine. This is yet another case of apparent political bias and arbitrary prosecution in Ukraine.
This conviction, like that of Yulia Tymoshenko before it, runs counter to the democratic aspirations of the Ukrainian people, and undermines the institutions upon which a peaceful, prosperous and democratic society depends.
Canada continues to advocate for freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law for all Ukrainians.”
