“I hear others. I hope they hear me too” – Maksym Butkevych presents a human rights podcast

Maksym Butkevych, a former prisoner of war, human rights defender, journalist, and co-founder of the Human Rights Centre ZMINA, together with journalist Darya Bura, has launched a new human rights podcast, “I hear others”. The podcast will air every Monday at 7 PM, immediately after the news on Hromadske Radio’s airwaves and YouTube channel, as reported by a ZMINA journalist present at the presentation.

Presentation of the human rights podcast “I Hear Others.” Photo: Liudmyla Tiahnyriadno

“We will have complex topics, uncompromising questions; we will discuss not only problems but also how to solve them. I hear other people. I hope they hear me too,” said human rights defender and journalist Maksym Butkevych during the podcast’s presentation.

Hromadske Radio broadcasts to temporarily occupied territories, and the hosts hope their voices will be heard by those whose rights are being violated. In addition, Hromadske Radio is raising 700,000 UAH for a thousand hours of broadcasting along the front line. You can support the media outlet here.

The first episode of Hromadske Radio’s “I hear others” podcast featured Olha Reshetylova, the President’s Commissioner for the Protection of Servicemen’s Rights, discussing violations of servicemen’s rights, lack of medical provision, referral to military medical commissions, prolonged stays in combat positions, and the blocking of transfers between military units.

According to the podcast’s creators, people in uniform currently have the most obligations to the state but are often forced to defend their rights. Therefore, they will discuss systemic problems within the military and how they can be resolved.

Earlier, Ukrainian human rights defender and former prisoner of war Maksym Butkevych became a co-coordinator of the human rights organisation “Principle of Hope”.

Furthermore, Maksym Butkevych has called on the international community to make every effort for the swift release of Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians. He also proposed creating international monitoring mechanisms that would allow their representatives to visit prisoners in Russian prisons.

Read also: PEN Ukraine calls on writers worldwide not to remain silent and to resist the new tyranny

ZMINA previously spoke with Butkevych regarding his service on the front line, captivity, and recovery.