Donetsk, Mar 23 – DAN. Ukrainian authorities used the law on the so-called Donbass re-integration as a cover-up for the war crimes of president Petr Poroshenko and his camarilla, the chairwoman of the Ukrainian People’s Tribunal for Poroshenko’s regime war crimes (UPT) Elena Shishkina, a lawyer from Donetsk, said.
"This law shows Ukraine is not going to implement the Minsk Agreements and take steps towards peaceful resolution, not going to punish war criminals. On the contrary, all atrocities and violations are being legitimized."
She said the reintegration law justifying the crimes is at odds with Ukraine's constitution and will only increase the number of law violations by the Poroshenko's regime.
Petr Poroshenko signed the bill "On the peculiarities of state policy on ensuring Ukraine's state sovereignty over temporarily occupied territories in Donetsk and Lugansk regions", the so-called Donbass reintegration law on February 20, after the country's parliament had adopted it on January 18 with 280 voices. The bill defines Donbass as an 'occupied territory' and Russia is recognized as an "aggressor state". Lawyers agree that the 'reintegration' implied by the law is actually a legal permission to extensive use of force to settle the conflict in Donbass which is a direct violation of the Minsk Agreements aimed at a peaceful solution.
The Initiative Group of the People’s Tribunal for the crimes of Poroshenko and his clique against Ukrainian citizens held a constitutive meeting in Donetsk on Tuesday. It approved the Tribunal’s Charter and composition and announced the launching of the official website. The UPT is expected to hold the first hearing in Donetsk on March 26-27.
On March 15, the Initiative Group of Ukrainian citizens living in Donetsk and Lugansk announced the establishment of the Ukrainian People’s Tribunal for Poroshenko’s regime war crimes. It will review the crimes of high-ranking officials, including Ukrainian President Petr Poroshenko, National Security Council Secretary Alexander Turchinov, Defence Minister Stepan Poltorak, the minister of internal affairs Arsen Avakov and Ukrainian armed force commander-in-chief Viktor Muzhenko. The cases will be tried and files reviewed in accordance with the Ukrainian legislation and international law.*ot