12:56 11.05.2013

U.S. Helsinki Commission hopes European Court's ruling will help release Tymoshenko

3 min read
U.S. Helsinki Commission hopes European Court's ruling will help release Tymoshenko

The leadership of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission, has expressed the hope that the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights in the case of pre-trial detention of former prime minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko will provide further impetus for her release.

"I welcome the recent pardons of former high ranking officials and believe that they are a good first step. I trust that you will build on your promise of further judicial and electoral reforms, and we hope that last week's European Court of Human Rights ruling that the detention of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko before and during her trial was arbitrary and a violation of her rights will provide further impetus for her release," Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission in Europe Senator Benjamin Cardin said during the hearing on Ukraine's leadership of the OSCE in Washington, according to the commission's Web site.

The senator stressed that as chair-in-office, Ukraine faces formidable tasks in leading this multilateral organization that operates on the basis of consensus, and includes 57 countries ranging from democracies to dictatorships.

"As chair-in-office, you also must display strong democratic credentials in order to be the example for the other states that need to do better in their adherence to OSCE obligations. It's incumbent upon Ukraine to lead by example in upholding the OSCE human rights and rule of law commitments," Senator Cardin said.

In his turn, Co-Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, Republican Representative Christopher Smith added that the chief symbol of problems touching on human rights, rule-of-law, and democracy is the continued imprisonment of Tymoshenko.

Smith said that the ex-premier's imprisonment was a serious injustice, which could be corrected by Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych. He urged the Ukrainian government to enhance its Chairmanship of the OSCE by releasing Tymoshenko.

As reported, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara was on a visit to the United States on May 6-9. Kozhara took part in a hearing of the U.S. Helsinki Commission on the priority issues of Ukraine's chairmanship of the OSCE and met with members of the U.S. Congress, representatives of the business community and the Ukrainian diaspora.

The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, is an independent U.S. Government agency created in 1976 to monitor and encourage compliance with the Helsinki Final Act and other OSCE commitments.

The Commission consists of nine members from the United States Senate, nine members from the U.S. House of Representatives, and one member each from the Departments of State, Defense, and Commerce.

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