Civic activists demand real liability for Deputy’s son Landik

Cases where the sons of deputies, prosecutor’s and others in high places escape criminal liability in Ukraine are legion.  The video footage showing Roman Landik, son of a National Deputy [MP] from the Party of the Regions, himself a recently elected deputy of the Luhansk City Council, trying to chat up a girl and then beating her badly when rebuffed did however cause waves.  Whether these will lead to any criminal charges and an actual conviction is, unfortunately, doubted by many Ukrainians.  At present Roman Landik is apparently in custody in Russia where he fled following the publicity which forced even his father to make stern noises.

At the end of last week the civic organizations forming the Partnership New Citizen held a protest demanding that Roman Landika be prosecuted.

During the protest an effigy of the “mazhor” [one of the young representatives of clans in power] was dragged from the office of the Party of the Regions to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and left on the stairs as a symbol of the public verdict on all who break the law regardless of their origin, status or level of income.

The protest was organized to warn the authorities that the appearance of one offender in the court should not be merely an isolated fine theatrical gesture by the Party of the Regions and leadership of the country.  If the authorities really want to fight to ensure observance of the law they should create a system which would work automatically and punish all those offenders, even if they themselves hold high posts or if their fathers are close to the sources of power. Without this, any possible prosecution of Roman Landik will turn into a farce aimed at concealing the flawed nature of the existing law enforcement system.

The activists also passed an appeal to the Party of the Regions, demanding that both Roman Landik and his father who are no longer worthy of representing the public’s interests be thrown out of the Party, and publicly condemned. 

On 11 July several dozen NGOs addressed an appeal to the President, the Prosecutor General, National Deputies and the leadership of the Party of the Regions demanding an objective investigation of the events in the Luhansk restaurant on 4 July and that those guilty be punished. 

Landik’s beating went on for a considerable amount of time.  Nobody intervened, nor did the police who finally turn up actually detain him.

The civic organizations called on the police to put an end to the lawlessness of such “majory”. They expressed willingness to provide the necessary defence and help to those who have suffered from their behaviour, as well as to rouse publicity in all just cases where people’s rights and dignity are infringed by those with family links to the regime in power.

The protest was initiated by the New Citizen Partnership which unites over 50 civic organizations.