Ukraine president cancels anti-protest laws for Akhmetov, report says

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych signed on Jan. 31 the so-called amnesty bill and legislation canceling the so-called dictatorship laws. The amnesty bill is characterized by the opposition as the “hostage bill” because it trades the release of imprisoned EuroMaidan activists, none of whom have been convicted of a crime, in exchange for the movement dispersing itself. The dictatorship laws were widely criticized by Western governments for their severe restrictions on freedom of speech and assembly and were widely credited with provoking the peaceful EuroMaidan protest into violent acts.

Yanukovych agreed to cancel the dictatorship laws to satisfy his close associate, Rinat Akhmetov, reported the Dzerkalo Tyzhnia newspaper, citing anonymous sources. U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt reportedly met with Akhmetov and warned him that his travel would be restricted and his bank accounts and assets in Western countries could be frozen if the laws remained in place, if the protest were forcefully dispersed and if the amnesty bill wasn’t approved. Akhmetov reportedly ranked second in a black list being prepared and his holding company, System Capital Management, published on Jan. 25 a statement declaring a violent resolution and any use of firearms as unacceptable.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has opened a criminal investigation against the leading opposition party, Fatherland, for taking actions to seize state power, an SBU official told a television network on Jan. 31. The decision was based on alleged information gained from the party’s computer servers that were confiscated during a police raid in December, an act that drew criticism from EU leaders for its violation of private property rights. Based on that alleged information, the Internal Affairs Ministry stated the same day that the EuroMaidan protest was pre-planned, including a violent version of events that would “draw a wide reaction and undermine the authority of the current government and president.”

Acting Foreign Minister of Ukraine Leonid Kozhara said it’s absolutely untrue that AutoMaidan protest leader Dmytro Bulatov was kidnapped and tortured, reported the Al Jazeera television network on Feb. 1. “He’s in good condition physically. The single thing he has is a scratch on his cheek,” Kozhara reportedly said.

A group of Party of Regions leaders has launched a Ukrainian Front organization “to clean out and purify Ukrainian land from those who came here with plans for occupation,” reported the press service of the Party of Regions Kharkiv Oblast Organization on Feb. 1. More than 6,000 representatives of 50 organizations participated in the assembly that day.

The Communist Party of Ukraine, the nation’s fourth-largest political party, has joined several national deputies from the Party of Regions in calling for constitutional amendments to create a federal government of regions in Ukraine, according to proposal published in a state newspaper on Feb. 1. The proposal calls for canceling the Ukrainian presidency altogether and reforming the parliament to consist of a council of regions and a chamber of deputies. It calls for moving the Constitutional Court to Kharkiv from Kyiv, fixating Ukraine as a permanently neutral state and creating opportunities for dual citizenship.

Zenon Zawada When considered as a whole, these news reports reveal the various players who are pressuring Yanukovych to ensure that events unfold in their own interest. They confirm the Russian government is already actively involved in fomenting chaos, given the mounting reports of the tortures being carried out by Russian nationals who don’t speak or understand Ukrainian. The Yanukovych administration isn’t investigating the concerns about the presence of Russian special agents, indicating its complicity in treason against state interests. Meanwhile, Russian-aligned deputies in parliament, including the Communists, are advancing the goal of weakening the Ukrainian state further by promoting federalism.

Kozhara’s ridiculous claim regarding Bulatov – whose severe facial bruises were apparent and endured other serious injuries – indicates that state officials will take a denial stance of any of its crimes until its very last days in office, no matter how great the evidence is. The government’s refusal to recognize any of its crimes, the opening of a criminal investigation against the lead opposition party, as well as the expansion of its street thug brigades will only serve to heighten the crisis further. Additionally, we should add that we’re doubtful that the amnesty law signed by Yanukovych is the same version that was allegedly supported by the U.S. ambassador. The president’s version violates basic legal principles, essentially trading prisoners for political concessions from the opposition.