Svyrydenko was paid for sanctions against Poroshenko – Le Monde

In Ukraine, the president is accused of persecuting opposition figures through lawsuits or sanctions.

This is reported by the French publication Le Monde.

The publication’s correspondent attended a Supreme Court hearing on Petro Poroshenko’s lawsuit against President Zelenskyy regarding the introduction of illegal sanctions.

In her report, she wrote that Ukrainian politicians, diplomats, and anti-corruption activists are forced to talk about political pressure and the use of justice for political purposes.

“Five judges in black robes, the Supreme Court in Kyiv. The plaintiff is in a gray sweater, with a trident on his lapel. And the defendant, of course, is absent: Volodymyr Zelensky. This is a lawsuit by former President Petro Poroshenko (2014-2019) against his successor as President of Ukraine. Poroshenko accuses Zelensky of using martial law, introduced since 2022, to suppress oppositionists and use selective repression,” the publication writes.

“Thank you for your presence,” Petro Poroshenko addressed the diplomats, activists, and deputies who came to the court hearing in a hall that was only half full.

“This struggle is crucial for freedom. We need a democratic Ukraine, not an authoritarian one,” he added.

The fifth president is challenging the economic sanctions imposed against him by the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine under the control of the Office of the President.

On February 12, Poroshenko was suddenly charged with treason along with four oligarchs. He was banned from leaving the country, his assets were frozen, and his accounts were blocked.

The grounds on which the sanctions were imposed were to be clarified in court, but the hearing was postponed to July 23, as the presidential side stated that it did not have time to familiarize itself with the opponents’ documents.

Two days before this, another trial was held in Kyiv – against Vitaliy Shabunin, co-founder of the anti-corruption organization “Anti-Corruption Action Center”.

“I am not the only one. But I am a convenient victim. Through me, the Office of the President is sending a signal to civil society and the military who criticize the government. This is a political inquisition that demonstrates the current climate in the country,” Shabunin told Le Monde.

“This is very disturbing,” Oleksandra Matviychuk, head of the Center for Civil Liberties, and 2022 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, commented on the trial.

Former Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States Valeriy Chaly wrote on Facebook about “authoritarianism”: “We cannot proclaim unity and at the same time divide society.”

Ukrainians on social media are reminding us that just a few days ago, Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov, close to Zelensky, remained in power, despite corruption cases opened against him.

Kyiv Independent writes that “Operation Shabunin” could not have taken place without at least the tacit consent of the president. Ukrainska Pravda directly calls the case “political repression” and adds that Zelensky is “confidently moving towards corrupt authoritarianism.”

On Thursday, immediately after being appointed by the Verkhovna Rada, the new Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko – who was the Minister of Economy when sanctions were imposed against Poroshenko – also came under a barrage of criticism.

An opposition MP turned to her: “Explain to us why depriving the fifth president of Ukraine of the attributes of his status is in the state interest.”

Poroshenko stated after the trial: “I am the only one who was punished at the request of the Ministry of Economy – all other sanctions were imposed at the request of the SBU. Svyridenko became prime minister as a reward for her signature,” the publication quotes.

We would like to remind you that on July 17, a regular session of the Cassation Chamber of the Supreme Court began on Petro Poroshenko’s lawsuit regarding illegal sanctions .

Subsequently, Petro Poroshenko, during a speech in the Supreme Court, where his lawsuit regarding the illegal Decree on Sanctions is being considered, stated that the authorities were entangled in their own lies .

As lawyer Ihor Golovan noted after the end of the meeting, the authorities are artificially delaying the trial in the Supreme Court on Petro Poroshenko’s lawsuit regarding illegal sanctions .

Earlier, the Financial Times, in its article “Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused of worsening authoritarian regime after anti-corruption raids,” listed cases that indicate a rollback of democracy in Ukraine .