Human rights campaigners criticise court decision, saying it sets dangerous precedent to stifle opposition

The Communist party of Ukraine has been banned after a Kiev court upheld a government lawsuit accusing the party of promoting separatism and inter-ethnic conflict.

The decision, announced by Kiev’s district administration court on Wednesday, has been criticised by human rights campaigners who describe it as “a flagrant violation of freedom of expression and association”.

The move prevents the party from operating and participating in elections.

Analysis Ukraine to rewrite Soviet history with controversial 'decommunisation' laws
President set to sign measures that ban Communist symbols and offer public recognition and payouts for fighters in militias implicated in atrocities
Read more
In May Ukraine adopted controversial “decommunisation” laws which outlawed the display of Soviet symbols and prohibited the use of the term “communist”.

The Communist Party of Ukraine refused to change its name, logo or its charter to comply with the legislation.

John Dalhuisen of Amnesty International said the court ban set a dangerous precedent. “The decision may be seen as dealing with the damaging vestiges of the Soviet past. In fact, it does exactly the opposite by following the same style of draconian measures used to stifle dissent,” he said.

“Expressing your opinion without fear of prosecution, particularly if that opinion is contrary to the views held by those in position of power, was one of the principles behind the EuroMaidan protests. Snuffing out the Communist party flies in the face of these ideals.”

On 16 September the Ukrainian authorities published a list of people banned from entering the country, including dozens of journalists, mostly from Russia.

The government in Kiev is fighting separatist insurgents, supported by Russia, in eastern Ukraine.

Bron: The Guardian, 17/12/2015, http://www.theguardian.com/world/20...arty-separatism

Mening: Dat men separatisme wil tegengaan, is niet meer dan logisch en persoonlijk vind ik het zeer goed dat ook in die Oost-Europese landen aandacht wordt besteed aan een beleid tegen racisme. Dit is volgens mij minder evident aangezien zij, denk ik, tot voor kort minder te maken hadden met mensen van andere dan Europese origine. Ik vraag mij wel af of het bannen van een partij die het (separatisme) wel aanmoedigt de juiste keuze is. Voor ik het artikel las, vond ik het nogal een drastische beslissign en ik vraag me af of ze daar niet heel wat mensen mee tegen de schenen gaan schoppen. Zouden er geen andere mogelijkheden zijn om zo'n partij te straffen dan die gewoon klakkeloos te verbieden?