One of Europe’s top human rights watch dog urged Ukrainian authorities to ensure that the conduct of the parliamentary election, due to take place next month, was free and fair. The human rights body warned that the continuing imprisonment of Ukraine’s main opposition leader did not bode well for the country.
The Council of Europe Secretary-General, Thorbjorn Jagland, condemned the imprisonment of opposition leader, Yulia Tymoshenko, stating that it was still “ very important that the elections are being held and that they be free and fair.”
The rights groups accuse the current president, Viktor Yanukovych, of concentrating too much power in his own hands, and regressing from the democratic achievements of the Orange Revolution, which was spear headed by Tymoshenko.
Responding to criticism, President Yanukovych told Jagland that Ukraine was consistently implementing democratic reforms.
The Council of Europe Secretary-General, Thorbjorn Jagland, condemned the imprisonment of opposition leader, Yulia Tymoshenko, stating that it was still “ very important that the elections are being held and that they be free and fair.”
The rights groups accuse the current president, Viktor Yanukovych, of concentrating too much power in his own hands, and regressing from the democratic achievements of the Orange Revolution, which was spear headed by Tymoshenko.
Responding to criticism, President Yanukovych told Jagland that Ukraine was consistently implementing democratic reforms.
