ECHR waits for Ukraine’s comments on Maidan case
The Ukrainian authorities may be found guilty of reluctance to properly investigate the crimes against the EuroMaidan protesters.
As the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union reports, October 26, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) published on its website the notice of communication to the Ukrainian government on 33 complaints concerning the events which had taken place during the Maidan protests.
The government of Ukraine at this stage has to comment on all the complaints filed against it during the Revolution of Dignity. The refusal to provide comments will serve as the argument against the government during further proceedings.
Among other issues, the Court suggests answering to the following issues:
Were the applicants subjected to torture or inhuman or degrading treatment by the police?
Has the Interior Ministry of Ukraine conducted the effective investigation into the abovementioned complaints?
Was the right of the applicants to right to freedom of peaceful assembly infringed on?
Did the applicants have effective remedies for their complaints?
The documents will be handed over to the lawyers of the victims. Among the victims are Pavlo Shmorhunov, Borys Yehiazarian, Roman Ratushny, Oleh Zadoyanchuk Viktor Smaliy, Serhiy Verbytsky, Vladyslav Zahorovka and others. They suffered ill-treatment by government officials, some of them got physical injuries of varying severity.
The lawyers of the Center for Strategic Affairs of the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union assisted the victims in preparing the complaints to the European Court.
The EuroMaidan protesters may receive compensation worth 5,000-50,000 euros, depending on the severity of their injuries. The ECHR may find Ukraine guilty of beating of the students during the EuroMaidan protests while the state authorities may be found guilty of reluctance to properly investigate the crimes against the activists now.
