The International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR), together with civil society organisations and researchers from across the Former Soviet Union (FSU), are conducting a region-wide assessment of national governments’ responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the impact on human rights.
The present report sets forth the assessment of the COVID-19 response in Ukraine, and is part of a series of country-reports from the FSU region. It was prepared by IPHR, CrimeaSOS and Truth Hounds.
The IPHR team analyzed dozens of cases of alleged rights violations reported by local civil society actors and independent media. Statistical data on prevalence of the disease and information about restrictive measures introduced in response to COVID-19 crisis has been obtained from official government sources. Information collected has been analyzed against applicable regional (Council of Europe) and universal (United Nations) standards.
The report contains recommendations, in which IPHR calls on all governing authorities in Ukraine to ensure that restrictive measures have a legal basis, are strictly necessary and proportionate to the objective of protecting public health and saving lives (based on scientific advice), are subject to constant review and lifted when no longer necessary, and are applied indiscriminately. Authorities must take particular care to ensure that vulnerable and marginalised groups are not disproportionately disadvantaged by the response to COVID-19, and must take steps to address pre-existing inequalities. Authorities must not use the pandemic to restrict fundamental rights and democratic principles for ulterior purposes.
