MENU
Documenting
war crimes in Ukraine

The Tribunal for Putin (T4P) global initiative was set up in response to the all-out war launched by Russia against Ukraine in February 2022.

Similar articles

Research: Russia’s biolab lies may be a cover for its own crimesBlind Crimean charged with ‘terrorism’, after Russia's FSB plant ‘prohibited books’ he can’t readA brief description of the KHPG strategic litigations in the first half of 2021A brief description of the KHPG strategic litigations in July–December 2020Criminal proceedings under Article 111 of CC of Ukraine against the journalistsExpert opinion (Amicus Curiae) on the application and interpretation of the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights in criminal proceeding № 52017000000000361Opinion on the political motives of criminal persecution and violation of human rights in the case of Sergiy PashinskyA brief description of the KHPG strategic litigations in January – June 2020Far-right French politicians enter Crimea illegally to rubberstamp fake Putin and occupation forever voteIs Ukraine’s penitentiary system ready to fight the coronavirus?A brief description of KHPG strategic litigations in July–December 2019A brief description of KHPG strategic litigations in July – December 2018Безпека в Україні жертв переслідувань авторитарними режимами країн колишнього СРСРRussia brings Soviet-style repression to occupied CrimeaA brief description of KHPG strategic litigations in January–June 2018Dramatic retrial order after pro-Russian journalists imprisoned for over 2 yearsA brief description of KHPG strategic litigations in January–December 2017How Ukraine Can Win the Revolution AgainA brief description of KHPG strategic litigations in January - June 2017Human rights in Ukraine in 2016: main trends

Ukraine, together with the Baltic States, deemed the only free postSoviet states

08.09.2006    source: www.radiosvoboda.org
Freedom House’s annual report also states that Russia has consolidated its position as a “not free country”, while certain other post-Soviet states have even entered the list of the “Worst of the worst”, i.e. the most repressive countries of the world

Ukraine is the single ray of hope in Freedom House’s study into political and civil liberties in the post-Soviet area.  This is the conclusion reached by experts from the nongovernmental organization based in New York Freedom House. In its annual report just published it also states that Russia has consolidated its position as a “not free country”, while certain other post-Soviet states have even entered the list of the “Worst of the worst”, i.e. the most repressive countries of the world.

Freedom House’s experts analyse the situation with political and civil liberties in 192 countries and classify them as free, partly free, or not free.  Ukraine is the only post-Soviet country, aside from the Baltic Republics which is classified as “free”.  The Director of the European Section of Freedom House, Kristy Evenson, said in an interview to Radio Svoboda:

“Ukraine has shown itself to be ready for a range of political and civic reforms. During the period of our study, a legitimate transfer of power took place with adherence to existing legislative norms, political and electoral processes and with the beginnings of reforms of the legislative system as a whole. This allows one to hope that the mechanisms and structures in Ukraine, although still very weak, will become the basis for a viable and enduring democracy.”

Azerbaijan, Russia and Belarus remain in the category of “not free countries”. Of the other post-Soviet countries Armenia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan and Moldova fall into the category of “partly free”. 

Kristy Evenson mentioned in her interview that the situation was worsening significantly in Central Asian post-Soviet republics.

“We are generally observing a restriction of liberties in Central Asia … Central Asian regimes are curbing political and civil liberties and there is little hope that the situation will begin to improve in the near future, particularly in such countries as Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan”.

The worst situation with human rights is considered to be in Birma, Cuba, Libya, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Also included in this category are two territories, Chechnya in the Russian Federation and Tibet under China whose inhabitants suffer intense repression, the report states.

According to Kristy Evenson, last year 46% of the countries of the world were classified as “free”, and 30% as “partly free”.  Representatives of Freedom House expressed the hope that this year the newly-created UN Human Rights Council would take into account the situation in countries which are classified as “not free” when considering observance of political and civil liberties.

Kyiv 8 September 2006 

 Share this