Solidarity Platform calls on Ukraine to cease pressurising anti-corruption activists

More than 50 organisations from Europe and the US have called on Ukrainian authorities to cease exerting pressure on anti-corruption activists in Ukraine.“Anti-corruption activists contribute to the observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms and act in the interest of the whole of society. They are exposed to heightened risks of attacks or harassment, as they often reveal to the public information on unlawful activities and corruption by state authorities and officials”, reads the letter of non-governmental organisations.

The signatories of the letter note the new anti-corruption laws adopted in March 2017 that are detrimental to activists, anti-corruption organisations and their collaborators. Concerns are raised also by the media campaigns designed to discredit the activists and the criminal and tax proceedings taken against such activists and organisations they work for.

The social organisations also condemn recent violent assaults such as the attacks on Evhen Lisichkin and Dmytro Bulakh, activists from the Kharkiv Anticorruption Center and call upon Ukrainian authorities to thoroughly investigate the attacks and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.

The letter is available here.