On 9 December 2005 the conference “Problems of the court reform. Access to justice” was held in one of the rooms of the Committees of the Supreme Council of Ukraine. State officials, scientists, lawyers and judges from all regions of Ukraine, took part in this conference.

The Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union appeals to those candidates for State Deputy whose position is incompatible with political activity to resign or take leave over the election period

A look ahead to the March parliamentary elections in the light of the present crisis. The author analyses the roots of Ukraine’s political malaise and provides biting criticism of the “Disneyland” world of the Verkhovna Rada

An in-depth analysis of Russia’s economic and political objectives with the New Year Ukrainian gas crisis both as far as Ukraine is concerned, and in broader geo-political terms.

On 29 November 2005 the first spot check of a mobile group, created by order of Yu.ry Lutsenko, the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, for control over the observance by police of the standards of human rights, was carried out in the Chernihiv region

Since the beginning of the current year investigative departments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs have uncovered 3721 facts of bribe-taking.

Artemovsk mayor Aleksey Reva has given the command to destroy the private cable TV company “Zakaz”.

The Commission considers that both the procedure for introducing amendments as well as the substance of the Law of Ukraine No. 2222-VI “On introducing amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine” of 8 December 2004 run counter to the Ukrainian Constitution and to international standards.

Deputies of the Luhansk regional council have refused to agree to criminal charges being brought against Stanislav Cherniavskiy, a deputy of the regional council, ex-head of the Novopskovsk district state administration. He was accused of crimes relating to vote rigging during the 2004 elections

On 25 December 2005 a public conference devoted to a likely collision course of the “constitutional reform” was held in Chortkiv. An appeal to the President of Ukraine and the Head of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine was adopted at the conference.

An Appeal from the UHHRU to put an end to stalling tactics which are preventing the Constitutional Court’s functioning

Customer price inflation in 2005 will not exceed 11%.

The Supreme Council of Ukraine has introduced amendments to some legislative acts concerning the rights of prisoners to correspond with the European Court of Human Rghts.

18 human rights organizations are calling upon the Ombudsperson to resign from her post in connection with her participation in the forthcoming Parliamentary elections. The authors of the appeal believe that the ombudsperson may not combine political and human rights activities. Signatures are being collected for a petition

The only certainty is of imminent chaos if the amendments to the Constitution (the “political reform”) go through. This was the gloomy message from a recent round table discussion

Is it not time for the President’s Secretariat to give up such shameful and illegal practice and make all documents with illegal stamps restricting access public?

As representatives of Russian nonprofit-making and non-governmental organizations, we wish to express our deep anxiety in connection with the consideration in the State Duma of the draft law “On introduction of amendments into some legislative acts of the Russian Federation”, aimed at toughening control over the institutions of civil society

Commentary from the Center of political-legal reforms on the suit brought by ex-Prosecutor General, S. Piskun