Biden’s Visit to Ukraine Should Focus on Rights and Justice

Washington

In advance of Vice President Biden’s visit beginning Sunday to Ukraine and his address to the Ukrainian Parliament (Rada), Freedom House issued the following statement:

“Vice President Biden’s visit is an opportunity to voice support for development of strong democratic institutions and practices,” said Mark P. Lagon, president. “Corruption, impunity for abuses, and discrimination pose existential threats to democracy and human rights there. The Vice President should call on Ukrainian leaders to investigate and prosecute those responsible for human rights abuses on Maidan Square; to add comprehensive anti-discrimination protections to the draft Constitution; to reform the judiciary and prosecutors office; and to guarantee the rights of the more than 1.4 million internally displaced persons. These reforms and steps should be taken in close collaboration with civil society.”

Background:

Ukraine's Constitutional Commission is tasked with drafting a new Constitution by the end of the year. While Ukraine’s Rada banned workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in November 2015, these protections may expire with the expected passage of a new labor code. Many of Ukraine’s 1.4 million internally displaced persons are unable to gain access to basic services.

Ukraine is rated Partly Free in Freedom of the World 2015, partly free in Freedom of the Press 2015, Partly Free in Freedom on the Net 2015, and receives a democracy score of 4.75 on a scale of 1 to 7, with 7 being the worst possible score, in Nations in Transit 2015.