« ’Human rights above all’ was one of EuroMaidan’s key slogans. The biggest rallies were clearly human rights-oriented: people protested against the police beating up students, and against the use of courts and prosecutors as tools of political persecution », stated Oleksandra Matviychuk, Chair of the CCL. « The new Parliament is responsible for fulfilling this social demand. It is responsible for quick and profound reform of law enforcement, criminal justice and the judiciary » , she added.
« The new Ukrainian government must demonstrate high standards of good governance and involve the civil society on an equal level in the reform-making process » , stated Tolekan Ismailova, FIDH Vice-President.
Following the Maidan revolution, since 7 February 2014 Ukraine has been governed by the interim government of Arsenyi Yatsenuk. Under the interim government and given the continuously unstable situation in Eastern Ukraine, it was difficult to advance on the most needed long-term deep reforms. Positive steps have however been made, notably Ukraine requested the ICC to investigate the crimes committed in the country between November 2013 and 22 February 2014.
«The new government must commit to fighting impunity and to that end it should request an extension of ICC jurisdiction in Ukraine, to cover also the post-February 2014 violations » , stated Karim Lahidji, FIDH President. « The government must further guarantee the protection of civilians caught up in the conflict between the Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian armed groups in Eastern Ukraine », he added.
The new President Petro Poroshenko was elected on 25 May 2014 and assumed office on 7 June 2014. He soon announced early parliamentary elections in order to ensure that Ukraine is governed by a representative government.
FIDH and CCL recall that in several constituencies elections could not take place, notably in the ten constituencies in Crimea.