“I strongly encourage the Ukrainian authorities to pursue reforms in the areas of law enforcement, the public prosecutor’s office and the judicial system. Ensuring effective investigations into human rights violations is essential to restore public trust in institutions,” concluded the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muižnieks, after a visit to Ukraine (Kyiv and Odessa) from 16 to 19 June 2014.
The Commissioner was informed that a draft law on the public prosecutor’s office has been prepared for a second reading in the Parliament. “It is important not to delay the adoption of the law, having regard to Council of Europe recommendations, and the reform of the prosecution service, which is a key actor in the criminal justice system,” emphasised the Commissioner.
The effectiveness of investigations into human rights violations is a core human rights issue and there is an urgent need to ensure that ongoing investigations meet international human rights standards for thoroughness, promptness, transparency and victim involvement. “A number of my interlocutors have expressed concerns about the need to ensure greater transparency of official investigations, while at the same time respecting the presumption of innocence and the need to protect personal information.”
The 2 May events in Odessa, which claimed the lives of 48 persons, were a focus of the Commissioner’s attention during his visit to that city. In addition to official interlocutors, he met with a group of journalists and experts from civil society assembled on the initiative of the regional governor, which is seeking to establish the facts surrounding the tragedy without interfering into the official investigation into those events. “The authorities and the international community should support such civil society initiatives, as they can play an essential role in assisting law enforcement, dispelling rumours, and promoting peaceful dialogue in society.”
The Commissioner met with a number of displaced persons from Crimea and the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The Commissioner is deeply concerned about reports of human rights violations in those regions causing persons to flee. The number of internally displaced persons from different regions of Ukraine is currently estimated by UNHCR at more than 34000 and rising daily. The regional authorities in Odessa informed the Commissioner that 50 to 60 persons fleeing the Donetsk and Luhansk regions were arriving daily at the city’s train station. “There is an urgent necessity for a coordinated response at the central level, beginning with a centralised registration system, as well as international assistance. While I applaud the support extended by NGOs, volunteers and local and regional authorities, this will not be enough to meet the demands of the displaced persons, which include women, children and persons with disabilities, many of whom have been traumatised by hostilities.”
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