The Ukrainian parliament has appointed People’s Front lawmaker Ludmyla Denisova as new ombudsman on March 15.
It took the Verkhovna Rada almost a year to pick a new commissioner for human rights since the tenure of the former ombudsman Valeriya Lutkovska ended in April 2017.
The majority, 280 lawmakers, voted for Denisova’s candidacy. However, many activists find her appointment unsuitable for she doesn’t have human rights protection experience and is politically biased. Accusations that she ran a business in Russia-occupied Crimea add even more controversy to the newly appointed ombudsman.
Denisova, 57, has been the minister of social policy twice. She used to be a member of Batkivshchyna Party and has been in People’s Front since 2014.
During her speech in parliament on March 15, Denisova listed her priorities as an ombudsman: to protect a right for the peaceful life of all Ukrainian citizens, the rights of journalists, internally displaced persons and migrant workers abroad, as well as to continue releasing Ukrainian prisoners of war.
According to the law “About the Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for Human Rights,” an ombudsman is required to have experience in human rights activities.
Ukrainian LGBT activist Bogdan Globa, who started country’s biggest LGBT organization believes that Denisova doesn’t meet the requirement.
“Denisova has nothing to do with human rights activities, has no relevant experience,” Globa told the Kyiv Post.
Halya Coynash, a member of the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group, believes that the ombudsman should be independent and also finds Denisova unsuitable for the post. “The ombudsman has wide powers in Ukraine and really is the last avenue for ordinary citizens to approach when their rights are violated. They must not be viewed as politically engaged,” her op-ed reads.
The Kyiv Post couldn’t reach Denisova for a comment.
The newly appointed ombudsman was also involved in a scandal with anti-bias amendments to the Labor Code.
She was the head of Verkhovna Rada Committee on Social Policy, Employment and Pension when they voted for the exclusion of anti-bias amendments from the Labor Code in March 2017.
The amendments complemented the list of the prohibited basis for discrimination with gender identity and sexual orientation and were a part of European Union’s requirements to Ukraine for visa-free travel.
Although the amendments were approved by the committee under the pressure of activists and lawmakers a month later, Denisova has marked herself as a foe for LGBT community in Ukraine.
Business in Crimea
According to an investigation published by the Nashi Groshi TV program on March 16, Denisova and her family members own business in Russia-annexed Crimea.
Before the annexation, Denisova used to hold 25 percent of Krymzalizobeton construction company.
In 2015 the company was registered according to Russian laws. In the State Register of Legal Entities of the Russian Federation, Krymzalizobeton’s papers indicate a founder – Ukrainian company Triora. Denisova contributed 25 percent of Triora’s authorized capital.
Apart from that, the ombudsman’s daughters are registered as founders of five companies of different specialization operating in Crimea.
Denisova has denied all the accusations in the comment to Nashi Groshi.
She said that the business she used to own was nationalized by the State Council of the Crimean Republic.
