Investigation into Maidan events is stonewalled – Experts

The information about shutting down the Office of Special Investigations into Crimes Committed on EuroMaidan has set the whole public in turmoil. The experts started talking about the creation of the temporary ad hoc commission at the Verkhovna Rada. The lawyers and human rights activists explain why we need such a commission and how the investigations into crimes, committed during the Revolution of Dignity, are carried out now.

Roman Maselko, AutoMaidan activist, lawyer

The case of AutoMaidan is rather simple in terms of legal qualification. The evidence base is sufficient. Most defendants in the cases stay at their posts. There are no objective obstacles to the investigation into these cases.

In general, about 400 traffic police officers and about 120-130 judges were involved in persecutions against AutoMaidan activists. Currently, 50 out of 400 traffic police employees and about ten judges are defendants in the cases. It’s not even 10%.

Stonewalling investigation

We need to punish those responsible for this stonewalling and incompetence. We name specific people, but there is no punishment for them.

Our communication is perfect. We meet with Prosecutor General of Ukraine Viktor Shokin, head of the Investigative Department of the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine Serhiy Horbatiuk, and other investigators with no problems. But there is no result. Therefore, it is clear that we need more mechanisms and tools, such as the ad hoc commission, which will give us the opportunity to further monitor the investigation and demand to punish those responsible.

Oleksandra Matviychuk, human rights activist, coordinator of the Euromaidan SOS volunteer initiative

In March, the representatives of the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Interior Ministry of Ukraine came to the Euromaidan SOS and asked to provide them with the information, which we had accumulated over the months of protest, about those gross violations committed within the framework of systematic and large-scale offensive against the peaceful protesters.

We are closely cooperating with the International Criminal Court and the International Advisory Panel of the Council of Europe. We clearly understand that no one will do Ukraine’s homework instead of Ukraine itself, and, despite all the hopes for international courts, we need to conduct a proper investigation at the national level.

The civil society has analyzed every criminal trial started since November 25, 2014. Unfortunately, many of the recommendations, we gave in a separate report, are still relevant.

This is so, despite the fact that we had private meetings with the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, the Interior Minister of Ukraine, and the Head of the Council of Judges. We see how the system resists, and that nobody is punished for this resistance.

Taras Hataliak, human rights activist, coordinator of the Lawyers of Heavenly Hundred’s Families initiative

In my opinion, we need the better quality of the Department of Special Investigations. At least 100 investigators should work there, not fifty as it is now.

We are constantly begging for funding for some reason. We met with Shokin three months ago and talked about the lack of funding. Last year, when the forensic medical examinations on the wounded were carried out, the state lacked UAH 30,000 – 50,000 to pay for the work of the Bureau of Forensic Medicine.

We also have questions to the Interior Minister of Ukraine. Why have the officers of the Berkut special forces continued working until recently or continue working even today? We have heard repeated claims that the Prosecutor General’s Office conducts the investigation, but, unfortunately, these officers have not been fired. They keep working, coming to the courts, and exerting pressure on witnesses, victims and so on.

When meeting with Viktor Shokin, we demanded that the saboteurs not just dismissed, but hold criminally liable. I speak emotionally, but my friend, Bohdan Suchanyk, died during Maidan protests, and we will demand complete investigation of the cases. The same refers to the Interior Ministry.

Olena Storozhuk, lawyer of the families of the Heavenly Hundred

We are tired of fighting against impunity and frank pledge that exists between the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Interior Ministry.

It is clear that the prosecution authorities control themselves. We often hear about the detentions and bail hearings. However, it’s widely covered only at the initial stage. The judicial investigation does not consist in detention and pre-trial restriction.

We do not demand any cost punishment. We demand the result, good that quality of these investigations, and holding the perpetrators liable.