Ukraine's Freedom Manifesto

Ukraine is honoring the five—year anniversary of the Revolution of Dignity, an event which provided civil society with new experiences of interacting with one another.
Ukraine is honoring the five-year anniversary of the Revolution of Dignity, an event which provided civil society with new experiences of interacting with one another. Hromadske is publishing a Freedom Manifesto, written by the editorial in cooperation with human rights activists, in order to start a discussion on the role and values of civil society today, five years after the events on Maidan. What is freedom in Ukraine today? Why do we believe it is at risk? Where do we draw the line? What are the basic values which unite people with different political and world views?
The purpose of the manifesto is declare a basic set of principles which the signatories believe are necessary in the combatting internal and external threats.
The manifesto is open for more signatures. Please send them to editor.hromadske@gmail.com with the subject “Manifesto.” Only individuals, not groups, can sign the manifesto. The list will be published on Hromadske’s website. Every week, we will publish a new text in continuation of the discussion.
We, as people who stood for freedom and dignity on Maidan, are witnesses to:
– violations of rights to peaceful assembly
– violations of rights to freedom of expression
– harassment for expressing unpopular views, criticizing the government or separate groups.
– restrictions on the rights of citizens based on where they were born, live or other attributes.
– attempts from supporters of certain ideological movements to establish a level of control at state level over the teaching and interpretation of history and the manifestations of historical memory.
Unfortunately, these cases are no longer isolated and have turned into trends. These violations are carried out by both state structures and non-state groups, and often by non-state groups with public support from state bodies, political actors or “leaders of thought.”
The criminal inactivity of the law enforcement system has become a separate trend. Law enforcement leadership has not been able to prove that they are capable of carrying out radical, systemic reform. At the same time, impunity leads to new crimes.
We agree that we have different political views and our outlooks may be different. We were able to create common ground for struggle and solidarity on Maidan. However, the current situation requires an even more principled stance and more unity, therefore, together we declare the following:
– The protection of human rights and civil liberties is the cornerstone of our civil society and democratic Ukraine.
– Diversity, mutual respect for each other’s rights and freedoms and solidarity are the key values of our civil society and democratic Ukraine.
– The military situation, radical political reform, pragmatic considerations or economic crisis cannot be in any way justification for curtailing freedoms, pressuring independent society or media, violating human rights or the inability to investigate crimes against people.
– We demand consolidation of legal procedure, as opposed to supporting or encouraging mob justice, pressure or intimidation.
– A reformed law enforcement system should protect the freedoms and rights of all citizens without exception and both establish and detain criminals, rather than cover them up.
– The research, interpretation and presentation of historical events should be the subject of professional research and publicly argued discussions, and never the subject of ideological visions embodied through the state or any kind of ideological structure.
Curtailing freedoms makes it impossible to defend oneself against enemies both external and internal. We went to Maidan as free people, without fear. We can only win as free people, without fear. To live without fear in Ukraine is everybody’s right. And this is exactly the kind of Ukraine we strive for.
Maksym Butkevych, No Borders project, human rights activist
Denys Kobzin, sociologist, Kharkhiv Institute of Social Research
Andrew Chernousov, sociologist, Kharkhiv Institute of Social Research
Angelina Kariakina, Hromadske TV
Nataliya Gumenyuk, Hromadske TV
Vlad Azarov, Hromadske TV
Olexandra Matviychuk, human rights activist
Tata Peklun, journalist
Tetiana Bezruk, journalist
Natalia Kurdiukova, Kharkiv Independent media group “Nakipelo”
Iryna Chulivska, Digital Security Lab Ukraine
Tetiana Kozak, journalist
Yulia McGuffie, NV.ua
Iryna Zemlyana, media expert
Mariya Yasenovska, Kharkiv Regional Foundation “Public Alternative”
Lesya Ganzha, Dostup do pravdy
Yaroslav Hrytsak, professor of the Ukrainian Catholic University
Yevgenia Belorusets, Prostory journal, curatorial group Hudrada
Alyona Luniova, human rights activist
Andriy Kulykov, Hromadske Radio
Oleh Rybachuk, Centre UA
Oleksiy Matsuka, Novosti Donbassa
Olga Rudenko, Kyiv Post
Oleksandra Dvoretska, NGO “Vostok SOS”
Anastasia Stanko, Hromadske TV
Illia Bezkorovayniy, Hromadske TV
Iuliia Bankova, Hromadske TV
Anna Tsygyma, Hromadske TV
Eugeny Spirin, the Babel
Olesya Ostrovska, Mystetskyi Arsenal
Solomiya Borshosh, Mystetskyi Arsenal
Kateryna Botanova, curator
Andrii Bashtovyi, journalist
Iryna Romaliyska, journalist
Anastasia Bezverkha, media researcher
Yuriy Marchenko, journalist
Oleksandr Nazarov, Hromadske TV
Tetiana Kharchenko, Hromadske TV
Anna Tokhmakhchi, Hromadske TV
Andriy Andrushkiv, presenter at Hromadske TV and the National Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine
Konstantin Reutski, journalist
Mustafa Nayyem, MP
Aksinia Kurina, civic activist, film expert
Mikhail Minakov, philosopher
Lyudmyla Kozlovska, The Open Dialogue Foundation
Tetiana Popova, NGO “Information Security”
Maksym Osadchuk, civic activist and journalist
Bohdan Kutiepov, Hromadske TV
Natalya Ligacheva, Detector Media
Rostyslav Milevskyi, human rights activist
Gala Skliarevska, Detector Media
Igor Bernstein, pensioner from Kyiv
Nazar Losiuk, Ukrainian Helsinki human rights union
Volodymyr Kaplun, Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group
Tetiana Homon, keeper of library and museum of Ukrainian composer Borys Lyatoshynsky
Daryna Mizina, journalist
Dmytro Kalinin, Zaporizhia Charity Fund Gender Z, LGBT activist
Inna Iryskina, Insight NGO
Sergii Shchelkunov, Save Zhovten NGO
Evgenia Levinshteyn, volunteer
Stanislav Mishchenko, Munich Kyiv Queer contact group
Anna Sharyhina, KyivPride
Olena Goncharova (Eva Gukalova)
Zurab Alasania, journalist, Director General of the Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine (UA:PBC)
Mariana Sadovska, musician
Oleksandr Popenko, Hromadske TV, UA:PBC
Yana Sedova, Hromadske TV
Oleksandr Zinchenkov, Our World center
Vsevolod Zheyko, poet, blogger, civic activist
Daria Nagaivska, Suchasna Zhinka (Modern Woman) NGO
Taisia Gerasimova, Update.com.ua
Oksana Potapova, Theatre for Dialogue
Ostap Yarysh, Hromadske TV
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