Linked with our presentation of Nina Karpachova – Ukraine.
Do we know how to protect our rights and freedoms?
In March 2002 Institute of Politics held the investigation under the UN research project “Human Rights and Freedoms in Ukraine”. 1200 of Ukrainians were suggested to answer the questions if the rights of Ukrainian citizens were protected. 65.2% were against that statement and only 10% agreed that they lived in the country, where human rights were protected. 60% told about the violation of their rights and freedoms, but only 7.7% appealed to the court or to Ukrainian Parliament Commission for Human Rights, (see this link, and see also this link).
World practice in democratic state-building convincingly shows that the right to freedom of thought and speech, free opinion and convictions is a cornerstone for the establishment of a democratic, law-governed state and civil society. There is no democracy without freedom of speech.
The Ukrainian Constitution (Article 34) guarantees every person the right to freedom of thought and speech and to the free expression of views and beliefs, free collection, storage, use and dissemination of information. This important constitutional provision completely accords with Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 10 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
Ukraine holds one of the leading places in the CIS as to the number of laws on the mass media intended to extend transparency and society’s access to information. According to international experts, Ukrainian legislation on information makes it possible to exercise the human rights to freedom of speech and thought, although the laws are in need of certain modifications, amendments and additions.
links:
UABA;