Head of Cherkasy Court of Appeal, who exerted pressure on judge, re-elected

April 7, the Court of Appeal of Cherkasy region re-elected Volodymyr Babenko as the Head of the Court.

“After the election results had been announced, Volodymyr Babenko thanked the judges for their trust and said, ‘I will continue working for the sake of development of our court and restoration of confidence in the judiciary. However, one person can make a little as the strength is in unity. I have a lot of plans for the future, so let’s work as one team,” the Court’s press service reports.

Spokesperson for the Court of Appeal of Cherkasy region Yulia Baranko failed to name the voting result to the Human Rights Information Center correspondent because she “did not have the opportunity to get acquainted with the minutes of the counting commission.”

As a reminder, judge of the Court of Appeal of Cherkasy region Serhiy Bondarenko stated that Head of the Court Volodymyr Babenko had asked him to deliver unfair judgment in the case on the lawsuit filed by the company of Ukrainian tycoon Dmitry Firtash against teacher Oksana Yashan to evict her from the office premises. After Bondarenko had refused, he was subjected to systematic pressure.

Judge Bondarenko was deprived of his aide and was not appointed a new one, his memoranda and statements were not registered. He was made to violate the law for the trial participants to complain about him to the High Qualification Commission of Judges. Bondarenko’s car was set on fire and the unknown persons followed him near his apartment.

The prosecutor’s office of Cherkasy region carried out biased investigation over the criminal proceedings under Part 2 Article 376 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (interference in the work of judges).

In addition, it was established that the premises of the Court of Appeal were alienated for construction of residential building during the chairmanship of Head of the Court Volodymyr Babenko, which actually resulted in the losses of taxpayers.

The Cherkasy city activists held the artistic protest action near the House of Justice before election of the Court’s head. The activists laid an object that looked like bones of a fantastic animal in front of the building. The author of the object is Cherkassy artist Oleksandr Duvynsky.

“In our view, this skeleton is the symbol of dead justice. In such a way we would like to draw attention of the public and the court employees to what is now happening in Cherkasy,” activist of the coordination council of Maidan of Cherkasy region Natalia Vernydub is quoted as saying by the “Holosnishe” (“Louder”) media outlet.

Natalia Vernydub read out the judgments delivered during the Revolution of Dignity.

“Those were shameful judgments. At that time, people with grave injuries were kept in jail and they were denied change of preventive measure. Therefore, we oppose electing Volodymyr Babenko, who chaired the Court of Appeal at that time and was responsible for those judgments, as the Head of the Court again,” she said.