Turning the pages back...

March 5, 2000

A year ago, our Washington correspondent, Yaro Bihun, reported on the State Department's annual report on human rights around the globe. Mandated by Congress, these influential reports on governments' respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law are compiled with information provided by U.S. embassies.

The report for 1999, released in late February 2000, gave Ukraine a mixed report, citing "limited progress" in some areas and "serious problems" in others.

The report cited government interference in the October 1999 presidential election process and increased pressure on the media - especially the national broadcast media - through tax inspections and other measures. Ukraine's civilian authorities were seen as generally maintaining "effective control" of the nation's security forces, although it was noted that instances of "institutional government corruption" sometimes can lead to their improper use and human rights abuses. The report noted that Ukraine was widely criticized for failing to curb institutional corruption and abuse; officials who commit abuses are rarely punished; and anti-corruption legislation is enforced selectively and "mostly against government opponents and low-level officials."

The report for 1999 also found "some limits" on freedom of assembly, instances of restrictions on freedom of association and some limits on freedom of movement caused by the holdover Soviet system of registration, or "propyska."

Source: "Ukraine's human rights record receives mixed report," by Yaro Bihun, The Ukrainian Weekly, March 5, 2000, Vol. LXVIII, No. 10.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, March 4, 2001, No. 9, Vol. LXIX

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