Ukraine s Zelenskyy vows to fight for judicial reform atlanticcouncil.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from atlanticcouncil.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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The High Anti-Corruption Court on March 17 refused to extend a corruption investigation against Judge Pavlo Vovk, which may lead to the closure of the case.
Judge Andriy Bitsyuk, who made the decision, may have been pressured into it by the High Council of Justice, the judiciary’s highest governing body, according to the Anti-Corruption Action Center.
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In a statement released on the day of the verdict, the Ukrainian NGO Anti-Corruption Action Centre said, “A seven year sentence for Serhiy Sternenko is not about justice. It’s revenge on a person who has been a thorn in the side of police, politicians, state officials and property developers in Odesa.”
The judicial process was marred by inconsistencies, irregularities and missteps. The primary evidence for the conviction of Sternenko was the testimony of the alleged victim, an eyewitness (who didn’t appear in court), and cell phone data which allegedly showed Sternenko was in the vicinity of the kidnapping at the time it happened.
Police officers sing the national anthem during an August 2016 ceremony in Kyiv to mark the first anniversary of Ukraine s law enforcement reforms. (REUTERS/Gleb Garanich)
In spring 2014, Ukraine embarked on an historic period of national transformation. Seven years later, the results are decidedly mixed. While there has been undeniable progress, numerous core problems remain unresolved.
Since 2014, there has been frequent analysis of Ukraine’s reform shortcomings. In a widely read recent article, former Canadian Ambassador to Ukraine Roman Waschuk sought to identify mistakes made by the international donor community while supporting Ukraine’s historic transition. As an activist who has been involved in Ukrainian reform advocacy since 2015, I would also like to share my perspectives on this evolving debate.