Human rights in Ukraine

International and European human rights treaties

Ukraine is a party of the following international treaties:

*International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)
*(First) Optional Protocol to the ICCPR
*International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
*Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
*Optional Protocol to CEDAW
*Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
*Optional Protocol to the CRC on the involvement of children in armed conflict
*International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
*Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
*Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture
*Convention relating to the Status of Refugees (1951)
*Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees (1967)Ukraine signed but not yet ratified
*Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court

Ukraine is a party of the following European treaties:

*European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR) (1950)
*Protocol No. 6 to the ECHR concerning the abolition of the death penalty in times of peace (1983)
*Protocol No. 12 to the ECHR concerning the general prohibition of discrimination (2000)
*Protocol No. 13 to the ECHR concerning the abolition of the death penalty in all circumstances (2002)
*Framework Convention on the Protection of National Minorities

ituation

During 2006 Ukraine continued developing the democratic institutions and processes which the 2004 "Orange Revolution" had set in motion.

The 26 March parliamentary elections, by assessment of both international and domestic observers, were in general free, fair and democratic.

International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHFHR) reports that during the year laws were developed aimed at fulfilling Ukraine’s commitments to the Council of Europe, as well as under the EU-Ukraine Action Plan. In addition, dozens of international documents in the area of human rights were ratified, including the European Social Charter and the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture, as well as all supplementary protocols to the European Convention on Human Rights. [ [http://www.ihf-hr.org/viewbinary/viewdocument.php?download=1&doc_id=7424 IHFHR, 2006 Report on Ukraine] ]

According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), "while civil society institutions operate mostly without government interference, police abuse and violations of the rights of vulnerable groups … continue to mar Ukraine’s human rights record." [ [http://hrw.org/englishwr2k7/docs/2007/01/11/ukrain14835.htm HRW, 2006 Report on Ukraine] ]

The right to fair trial

Amendments to the constitution, which came into force, were detrimental for fair trial in that they re-introduced the so-called general supervision by the prosecutor’s office. Other serious problems included lengthy periods for review of cases because the courts were overloaded; infringement of equality of arms; non-observance of the presumption of innocence; the failure to execute court rulings; and high level of corruption in courts. [ [http://www.ihf-hr.org/viewbinary/viewdocument.php?download=1&doc_id=7424 IHFHR] ]

Media Freedom and Freedom of Information

In Ukraine’s provinces numerous, anonymous attacks and threats persisted against journalists, who investigated or exposed corruption or other government misdeeds. The US-based Committee to Protect Journalists concluded that these attacks, and police reluctance in some cases to pursue the perpetrators, were “helping to foster an atmosphere of impunity against independent journalists.” [ [http://hrw.org/englishwr2k7/docs/2007/01/11/ukrain14835.htm HRW] ]

Torture and Conditions in Detention

Reports of torture and ill-treatment by police persisted, as did unduly long periods of pretrial custody. Of major concern were the inhumane conditions in detention with overcrowded cells, appalling sanitary conditions and the lack of appropriate medical care. During the year numerous cases of group suicide attempts, took place in some penal colonies. [ [http://hrw.org/englishwr2k7/docs/2007/01/11/ukrain14835.htm ibid.] ] , [ [http://www.ihf-hr.org/viewbinary/viewdocument.php?download=1&doc_id=7424 IHFHR] ] , [ [http://www.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cat/docs/AdvanceVersions/CAT.C.UKR.CO.5.doc UN Committee against Torture, Conclusions and recommendations: Ukraine (2007)] ]

Human Rights Abuses and the HIV/AIDS Epidemic

The Ukrainian government has taken a number of positive steps to fight HIV/AIDS, chiefly in the area of legislative and policy reform. But these important commitments are being undermined by widespread human rights abuses against drug users, sex workers, and people living with HIV/AIDS in the criminal justice and health systems. [ [http://hrw.org/englishwr2k7/docs/2007/01/11/ukrain14835.htm HRW] ]

Migrants and Refugees

The Ukrainian asylum system barely functions due to a highly decentralized structure spanning several government agencies and departments. Process to create a single migration system has been slow; political interference in the system is common and abuses of migrants and asylum seekers’ rights continue. [ [http://hrw.org/englishwr2k7/docs/2007/01/11/ukrain14835.htm ibid.] ]

Human Trafficking

There has been a growing awareness of human trafficking as a human rights issue in Europe. The end of communism has contributed to an increase in human trafficking, with the majority of victims being women forced into prostitution. [ [http://www.coe.int/T/E/Com/Files/Themes/trafficking/ Council of Europe - Slaves at the heart of Europe] ] [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3979725.stm BBC - A modern slave's brutal odyssey] ] The Ukraine is a country of origin and country of transit for persons, primarily women and children, trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation. The Government of Ukraine has shown some commitment to combat trafficking but has been criticised for not fully complying with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and inadequate trafficking prevention efforts. [ [http://www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/2005/46616.htm US State Department Human Trafficking Report 2005] ]

Human trafficking is illegal, however the majority of convicted traffickers received probation instead of prison sentences. The government adopted a multi-year policy to fight human trafficking, however Ukraine remained a country of transit and destination for large numbers of trafficked persons. [ [http://hrw.org/englishwr2k7/docs/2007/01/11/ukrain14835.htm ibid.] ]

Ukrainian human rights organizations

*Association “Civic Initiative” (Kirovohrad) [http://www.monitoring.kr.ua] uk icon
*Chernigiv Committee for the Protection of Citizens's Constitutional Rights [http://www.protection.org.ua/english/index.php?SSID=dd13c6ff739e3eba26739b9b00226273]
*Committee of Voters of Ukraine [http://www.cvu.org.ua/?lang=eng]
*Congress of National Communities of Ukraine [http://www.kngu.org/KongrEng/AboutEng.htm]
*Donetsk Memorial [http://www.memo.ru/about/adr/reg_15.htm] ru icon
*"For Professional Assistance" (Poltava region) [http://www.iaps-ci.org/ru/] ru icon
*Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group
*Odessa Human Rights Group “Veritas” [http://www.veritas.org.ua] ru icon
*Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union

International human rights organizations cooperating in Ukraine

*Amnesty International-Ukrainian Association [http://amnesty.org.ua] uk icon
*International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHFHR)
*International Society for Human Rights-Ukrainian Branch [http://igfm.org.ua/] uk icon
*Moscow Helsinki Group

Notes

External links

* [http://web.amnesty.org/report2006/ukr-summary-eng Amnesty International 2006 Report on Ukraine]
* [http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2006/78846.htm US Department of State 2006 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Ukraine]