Appeal
To the President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma
from the candidate for the Presidency of Ukraine Victor Yushchenko
with a demand to discharge immediately the Prosecutor General
Hennadiy Vasyliev
Mr. President,
According to the Constitution, The President of Ukraine is a warrantor of civil rights and civil liberties. You have stated yourself repeatedly that you would provide honest and transparent presidential election in Ukraine. Though, the beginning of the election campaign shows that the all power structures are working for the sake of one pro-governmental candidate – the current Prime-Minister Victor Yanukovych. The General Prosecutor’s Office asserts the rights and liberties of only person – Victor Yanukovych rather than those of Ukrainians.
The GPO is an active illegal member of the election process on the side of the pro-governmental candidate. The MIA officials follow the candidate for presidency on Ai-Petri. They organize provocation on the motorway with the driver of a lorry. They upset meetings with the candidates who dare criticize authorities. It was reported about threat to the life of the presidential contender. Still the Prosecutor General failed to respond to this fact.
Instead, the citizens were made to sign in favour of Victor Yanukovych and to take part in rallies in support of Victor Yanukovych. Without reason they bring criminal cases against the people’s deputies who state their positions. Inexorable pressure is put on the adherents of those candidates who resist the government. The principle of presidential contenders’ equal access to the media is violated for the sake of the pro-governmental candidate. Still the Prosecutor General failed to respond to this fact.
The GPO does not investigate the case of Georgi Gongadze. The Mukachevo case, the symbol of criminal «outrage» during elections, is buried in the dark corners of the GPO. Still the Prosecutor General failed to respond to this fact.
The apotheosis of the use of administrative resources is the tragedy in Zhytomyr region: August 21, Alik Aslanov, a resident of the Zeremlia village (Baranovskyi district, Zhytomyr oblast) poured gasoline over his body and set himself alight in front of the regional Prosecutor’s Office.
Alik Aslov took this step after the head of the local administration Mr. Dykyi had cynically refused to provide him with necessary equipment because Alik Aslanov was collecting signatures and agitating for the presidential candidate Victor Yushchenko. These unjust and illegal actions have driven a person to self-immolation. This is a big tragedy for the family consisting of five children where the youngest one is five- month-old. Nevertheless, our government spares no effort to ensure its candidate’s victory.
Not only the live person was burning but the fire gutted the rest of the legality and justice in this country. Those responsible for this tragedy are to be punished.
The political responsibility for the tragedy lies with the Prime-Minister Victor Yanukovych for whose sake the total administrative terror is organized. And the Prosecutor General Mr. Vasyliev is to account for these unlawful actions, having turned into the advocate of the interests of one person, named Yanukovych.
Thus, I appeal to you to discharge immediately the Prosecutor General Hennadiy Vasyliev, to keep your promises, and to provide honest and transparent presidential election in Ukraine.
Victor Yushchenko