The Verkhovna Rada has passed as basis a draft anti-discrimination bill which human rights groups believe is likely to be yet another empty document passed only to create the appearance that the government is fulfilling its obligations under an EU visa liberalization agreement

On the eve of Euro 2012 the authorities would appear o have set light to a gypsy camp and killed one of the camp dogs in Kyiv, leaving up to 60 people homeless.

Gay rights are first and foremost human rights, Svyatoslav Sheremet says. Without even mentioning his beating, he says it was disappointing that the pride march had to be canceled.

Catherine Ashton, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy has called on the Ukrainian authorities to protect the rights of all Ukrainians, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons, to peaceful assembly and to freedom of expression

A letter OPEN FOR ENDORSEMENT to the President, Prime Minister and leaders of the main political parties regarding recent demonstrations of homophobia. It calls for a clear stand to be taken by political forces and specific measures to counter such hate crimes

The Ukrainian authorities should take action to protect the rights of LGBT people and ensure they are able to exercise their human rights without fear of attacks, Amnesty International has stated after the first-ever pride parade had to be cancelled on Sunday

Disabled access – or the lack of it – remains a major problem in Ukraine where public buildings often don’t even have ramps. Dmytro Zharyi has experienced this himself and he’s not prepared to tolerate it

There has been an increase in hate crimes over recent times, as well as a rise in the use of hate speech by civil servants

The Village Council in Novi Petrivtsii (Kyiv oblast) has, for the second year running, issued a thoroughly racist ban which the Berkut riot police are being deployed to enforce.

The Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union has addressed an open letter to the Speaker of Parliament and chairs of various parliamentary committees regarding a bill which proposes introducing liability for what it calls “propaganda of homosexuality”.

The European Roma Rights Centre has approached Ukraine’s Prosecutor General and Minister of Internal Affairs regarding reports that police officers are unlawfully taking fingerprints and carrying out checks in a discriminatory fashion of Roma people

Ukraine’s cities are completing preparations for Euro 2012. Yet virtually all places have problems with disabled access and are ignoring the suggestions put forward by those who know all too well what is needed

Police detained at least 50 activists of the rightwing party VO Svoboda on Sunday after they defied a court order banning a rally against Hassidic pilgrims in Uman

The rightwing Svoboda Party is not known for its tolerance and commitment to multiculturalism, so the present “campaign” by the Cherkasy branch is not especially surprising. The reports about the reasons for their actions in the media do not, however, foster understanding themselves

The Justice Ministry has presented a draft strategy for fighting discrimination for public discussion. Critics say that measures to counter discrimination will remain words unless the authorities change their attitude to the public.

There is no systematic State policy in Ukraine for countering discrimination. Various bodies of power deal with particular areas while other directions, such as protection from discrimination or help for victims of discrimination do not exist at all

The Coalition on Countering Discrimination which is made up of over 20 civic organizations has prepared a comprehensive draft law “On protection from discrimination”.

At present Ukraine’s transport infrastructure cannot meet even the most basic needs of people with limited possibilities

According to Donetsk human rights campaigner, Maria Oliynyk, in the Donetsk region they have begun cutting classes where tuition is in Ukrainian and moving senior school students into a national minority school with Russian as the language of tuition

The District Administrative Court in Kyiv has found unlawful and invalid the Cabinet of Ministers Resolution where it deprives disabled children of the right to an electrically powered wheelchair up till the age of 14