Other publications

OHCHR/the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) has been monitoring the human rights situation in Ukraine since its deployment in 2014,1 in line with the realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and UN commitment to leave no one behind. Amidst the global COVID-19 crisis, HRMMU has been assessing the human rights impact of the pandemic as well as the authorities’ response, specifically on the rights of individuals and groups in marginalized and vulnerable situations.

OHCHR/Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) has been monitoring the human rights situation in Ukraine since its deployment in 2014, in line with the realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and UN commitment to leave no one behind. Amidst the global COVID-19 crisis, HRMMU has been assessing the human rights impact of COVID-19 and related prevention and response measures with a special focus on vulnerable groups, including minorities. This note aims to highlight human rights concerns affecting Roma that have emerged or are exacerbated as a result of the pandemic, and to make recommendations for addressing these concerns and mitigating risks related to the pandemic. This note exclusively covers the Government-controlled territory of mainland Ukraine.

2 May 2020 marks the sixth anniversary of the violence in Odesa that claimed the lives of 40 men, 7 women and 1 boy. For the past six years, the families of the victims have been fighting for justice for the deaths of their loved ones. Justice, however, has remained elusive: in some cases, proceedings have stalled at the pre-trial investigation stage, in others at the trial stage. No individual has been held accountable for any of the 48 deaths. The enclosed infographic illustrates the progress in ongoing trials.

20 February 2020 marks the sixth anniversary of the end of the most violent phase of the Maidan protests. Eighty-three protesters, a journalist, a bystander, and 13 law enforcement officers lost their lives between 21 January and 20 February 2014. Since February last year when the UN HRMMU released its briefing note on Accountability for killings and violent deaths during the Maidan protests, the cases have seen little progress.

On 7 October 2014, the Parliament of Ukraine adopted a law amending, inter alia, article 176 “General provisions on measures of restraint” of the Criminal Procedure Code. Despite availability of a variety of other measures of restraint (i.e. personal recognizance, personal guarantee, bail and house arrest), the amendment prescribed that no other measure of restraint but pre-trial detention can be applied to individuals charged with crimes against national security and a number of crimes against public security. The way Ukrainian courts apply this provision contradicts the international human rights standards related to liberty of person and prohibition of arbitrary detention. In particular, judges dealing with conflict-related criminal cases do not duly assess the elements required to be met for application of a measure of restraint but instead apply pre-trial detention as the only available measure of restraint without giving due consideration to less intrusive alternatives that would effectively mitigate the risks of flight, interference with evidence or recurrence of the crime.