Amsterdam and Partners LLP: Artem Dmytruk Win in Extradition Case Confirmed as Ukraine Does Not Appeal
Amsterdam and Partners LLP: Artem Dmytruk Win in Extradition Case Confirmed as Ukraine Does Not Appeal
Turns Attention to Others Prosecuted by Zelensky Administration for Political Reasons
LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Ukrainian Government has elected this week to not appeal the refusal of Westminster Magistrates' Court to extradite Artem Dmytruk, a member of the Ukrainian Parliament and supporter of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), over trumped-up allegations of assault.
The refusal was issued on the grounds that extradition would violate Mr. Dmytruk’s right to respect for private and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights. The court had cited torture inflicted upon Mr. Dmytruk by the Security Services of Ukraine (SBU) as a reason for which extradition would disproportionately affect this right.
Robert Amsterdam, Founder and Managing Partner of Amsterdam & Partners LLP, who serves as international counsel to both Mr Dmytruk and the UOC, stated that:
“Kyiv’s decision not to appeal the ruling is indicative of the overwhelming evidence that Mr. Dmytruk’s prosecution was political. His torture occurred after several disagreements with the presidential administration at a particularly tense moment, after which he remained silent for two years.
It was only when the administration pushed Law 3894 through parliament, the law establishing a legal framework for an outright ban on the UOC, that Mr. Dmytruk spoke out.
For this, government-linked bloggers issued threats against him and his security detail was removed. As he fled the country, Ukraine revived years-old and demonstrably false allegations in order to secure his extradition.
While this nefarious attempt has now failed, Ukraine continues politically-motivated prosecutions and holds political prisoners, labelling critics as “pro-Russian”.
This includes supporters of the UOC, despite the thousand-year-old Church materially supporting Ukraine’s war effort and severing all administrative ties to the Russian Orthodox Church, its historical affiliate.
In the coming weeks, in advance of our next steps aimed at ensuring Ukraine upholds its domestic and international legal obligations, we will be compiling a list of members of the Ukrainian Parliament who continue to be targeted by the President Zelensky simply because he sees them as potential opponents.
Ukraine’s future as a pluralistic and democratic society cannot continue to be placed at risk, not least while it is aspiring to European integration.”
Amsterdam & Partners LLP is an international law firm specialising in political advocacy and human rights. For more information, please visit www.amsterdamandpartners.com. Media enquiries may be directed to contact@amsterdamandpartners.com.