The International Association of Democratic Lawyers expresses its deep concern regarding the decision of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine on the conformity of the Law “On Condemnation of Communist and National Socialist (Nazi) Totalitarian Regimes in Ukraine and Prohibition of Propaganda of Their Symbolism” # 097-VIII of 09.04.2015 with the Constitution of Ukraine. This decision is purely political.
The discriminatory and illegal nature of this law has been repeatedly condemned by the competent international legal institutions and reflected, in particular, in the report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on the situation of human rights in Ukraine from 16.02.2015 to 15.05.2015, in a joint interim Opinion of the European Commission on Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, adopted on 18.12. – December 19, 2015 at the 105th plenary session, etc.
The European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) and the Bureau of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, in their joint interim Opinion, found violations of Article 3 of Protocol No. 1 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Ukrainian authorities expressed a commitment to improve the situation. However, no actions have been taken until now.
We demand from the Parliament of Ukraine, President of Ukraine and other Ukrainian authorities to bring Ukrainian legislation, especially in the area of political parties’ activities, into conformity with international standards and uphold the international obligations of Ukraine. We further demand to stop the persecution of communists in Ukraine.