THE WORLD COMMUNITY URGES ZELENSKYI TO STOP POLITICAL PERSECUTION AGAINST PETRO POROSHENKO’S
Authoritative international organizations, a number of influential world politicians, Ukrainian public figures, activists and the media urge President Volodymyr Zelenskyi to stop the political persecution against the leader of the European Solidarity party, the fifth President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko.
The case of former President Poroshenko will be closely followed by the European Parliament. It has been noted in a special statement signed by Witold Jan Waszczykowski, Chair of the European Parliament Delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Association Committee, Andrius Kubilius, Chair of the European Parliament Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, Traian Băsescu, Vice-Chair of the European Parliament Delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Association Committee.
“The European Parliament has advocated for Ukraine’s European perspective on numerous occasions, including in resolutions. This house considers Ukraine as a part of our European family, not merely due to geopolitical reasons but also because our societies share the same values. Through our Association Agreement, we are committed to a close and lasting relationship that is based on respect for democratic principles, the rule of law, good governance, human rights and fundamental freedoms,” noted in the statement.
“The case of former President Poroshenko will be closely followed in this house,” the European Parliament said in a statement.
Former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen believes the allegations against Ukraine’s fifth president Petro Poroshenko show signs of selective justice and political persecution. He wrote about this on his Twitter page.
“Nobody is above the law and justice must be done. But this week’s charges against former Ukrainian President Poroshenko have a worrying tinge of the selective justice and political retribution that belong to Ukraine’s past, not its future,” Rasmussen wrote.
The shameful show, organized around the alleged «handing over of suspicion notification» to the fifth president of Ukraine, the leader of the European Solidarity party Petro Poroshenko, does not do honor to the authorities and returns the country to the time of Yanukovych. This is stated in an appeal to President Volodymyr Zelenskyi, signed by well-known scientists, public figures and political prisoners of the Soviet regime. They urge Zelenskyi to stop political persecution and focus on consolidating society in counteracting Russian aggression instead. The document is open for signature to anyone who also shares the warnings of this appeal. The appeal, posted on his Facebook page by dissident public figure Yosyp Zisels, has been reposted more than a thousand times, with more than 1,600 people supporting the appeal in comments.
Arbitrariness, selective justice and political persecution are returning to Ukraine. State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) and Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine (PGOU) return our state to…
Posted by Yosyp Zisels on Sunday, June 14, 2020
Former prisoner of pro-Russian terrorists, member of the pro-Ukrainian resistance movement in Occupied Regions of Luhansk Oblast (ORLO), hero of Ukraine Volodymyr Zhemchuhov in his video message posted on Facebook, urged President Zelenskyi to stop political repression against the fifth President Petro Poroshenko. Zhemchuhov emphasized that within a year, «pocket» law enforcement agencies could not find evidence of the accusations under which Zelenskyi came to power.
«The SBI and all law enforcement agencies have been working on the case of one person for a whole year. And this is at a time when the country is facing serious problems with corruption, economy, and the confrontation with Russia. You have failed to prove that Poroshenko stole something. Yes, that’s exactly why your rating has dropped to these 38%. People are seeing more and more that they were most likely deceived,» Volodymyr Zhemchuhov is convinced.
He warned President Zelenskyi against intensifying political repression against the opposition, which is increasingly reminiscent of Yanukovych’s time.
«We have not forgotten the amount of blood caused by the silent indifference of the people in the trial of the opposition under Yanukovych. Look around and see what path you are taking, Mr. President. I ask you to stop the dismissal-pressure on prosecutors and investigators. Stop pushing justice to fraud and manipulation – there will be responsibility», — warns Volodymyr Zhemchuhov.
Political persecution of the fifth president, Petro Poroshenko, and selective justice by the Zelenskyi’s administration throw friends of Ukraine into crisis. Well-known Canadian journalist and blogger Michael MacKay wrote about this on Twitter. He emphasizes that international partners will have to impose sanctions on the Zelensky Office, while supporting Ukraine’s fight against Russian aggression.
“If President Zelenskyi arrests former President Poroshenko, friends of Ukraine will be thrown into crisis. We’ll have to find a way to punish the Zelenskyi administration for selective prosecution while supporting Ukrainians in their ongoing fight against Russian aggression,” writes MacKay.
The intention to arrest the fifth president, Petro Poroshenko, is a big shame for President Zelenskyi. Anders Åslund, a well-known analyst at the American Atlantic Council, wrote about this on Twitter.
If really true, big shame for Zelenskyi: His personally selected prosecutor general intends to arrest Poroshenko. Why not instead arrest Putin’s leading agent in Ukraine, Viktor Medvedchuk, sanctioned since march 17, 2014, by the US?” writes Aslund.
A separate statement has been made by the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.
«We, as the Church, are drawn to the fact that in recent times, persistently, especially in the media associated with the aggressor country, there is an opinion that various accusations against the fifth President of Ukraine Poroshenko have some connection with his role as head of state, in promoting church unification, the formation of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and in receiving the Tomos from the Ecumenical Patriarch. Considering the above, it is obvious that any political motivation in the activities of law enforcement and criminal proceedings, in particular against the fifth President of Ukraine, is unacceptable, and it will be dangerous for civil peace during the Russian aggression, when the aggressor country gladly uses any conflicts within Ukraine against of our state and for achieving their goals in a hybrid war.
Every democratic society always has a different attitude towards politicians — some support them, some do not. But the axiom of democracy is that political sympathy or antipathy do not affect justice. A departure from this axiom always leads to a departure from democracy,» the OCU said in the statement.
The President of the European People’s Party, former President of the European Council Donald Tusk, during a conference call with the fifth President Petro Poroshenko on the occasion of the third anniversary of the visa-free regime, sent a signal to the current Ukrainian leadership to respect political opponents and respect democracy and the rule of law.
«You have to show respect — and this is a signal to current political leaders — first of all to democratic standards and legitimacy, solidarity towards your opponents, if you want to build a modern, democratic state. I am convinced that at least for some it is clear what I mean», — Donald Tusk emphasized.
He also noted the huge role of the fifth President Poroshenko in the European reform of Ukraine.
«Your presidential term, leading your country, was the best example in our common history. An example of political leadership of the highest quality. And this is my role today — to convince my partners in Europe to continue what we have started together and what we have achieved in Ukraine, and the European Union. I can repeat that you can count on me. I will do my best to convince my partners in Brussels and European capitals to continue our path, the pro-European path in Kyiv,» Tusk said.
Former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt has stated that repression is unacceptable. «Is Zelenskyi preparing to go down the Yanukovych route and imprison political opponent Poroshenko? If that happens EUneighbours should recommend measures to take. This issue goes to the hearth of the EU and Ukraine relationship,» Carl Bildt wrote on Twitter.
Former State Department special envoy for Ukraine Kurt Volker advised Volodymyr Zelenskyi to focus on building national unity against the background of Russian aggression, rather than arranging political persecution.
«With everyone guilty of something, the choice of whom to prosecute is a political decision. A better decision: build national unity in face of Russian aggression in Donbas and Crimea, as Zelenskyi said in August 24 speech,» Kurt Volker wrote.
MEP Petras Austrevicius, an influential Lithuanian politician, also warned the Zelenskyi’s administration about political persecution against Poroshenko. «The Association agreement obliges Ukraine to fully adhere to the rule of law and other fundamental principles. There cannot be any politically motivated prosecutions,» Austrevicius emphasized.
Influential Canadian diplomat, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Canada to Ukraine in 2014-2019 Roman Waschuk wrote on Twitter: «Plans to lock up Poroshenko were already afoot in mid-2019, pitched by Portnov/Kolomoisky emissaries bent on (a) vengeance for economic and reputational losses and (b) political benefit, given negative public perceptions of Poro their media had helped create. I told them then, and continue to believe: cleaning up corruption in a predecessor’s entourage is good and necessary, while an overtly political vendetta to take down a major, familiar partner for Western efforts of the past 5 years would be a strategic mistake and backfire badly,» Roman Waschuk emphasizes.
Former Polish President Alexander Kwasniewski also warned about the danger of political persecution against the fifth president. In an interview with the BBC, he said that if Zelenskyi persecuted Poroshenko, the world would not be silent.
«If he does what he wants because it’s revenge, or because his constituents like it, it will turn badly not only for Poroshenko, it will be bad specifically for Zelenskyi, because his image of a young man looking to the future, wanting to create a modern democratic country, will suffer. It will be clear that he is engaged in political revenge, because what else could it be called? The second point is that if there is such a political spectacle, then, of course, the world would not be silent. Poroshenko was a partner, a respected partner of many leaders in Europe, they will not just sit and watch,» Kwasniewski emphasized.
The editorial Statement on the cases of Poroshenko and Sternenko has been published by Ukrainska Pravda (Ukrainian Truth).
«The number and quality of cases against the former president look more like a maniacal search for clues to imprison Poroshenko at any cost, and is reminiscent of ordinary revenge rather than a conscious desire for justice.
Poroshenko, like no one else, is well aware of our principledness and impartiality, as he himself has repeatedly been subjected to meaningful criticism from Ukrainska Pravda. However, now, as a person suffering from selective justice, he can count on our attention. As well as everyone who faces injustice,» particularly said in the statement of UP.
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