Batkivschyna: ECHR to consider complaint from Ukrainian woman who cut Yanukovych's name from wreath near Shevchenko monument

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has received a complaint from Ukrainian citizen Halyna Shvydka who, on August 24, 2011, in protest against political repression in Ukraine, cut off the name of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych from the ribbon on a wreath laid at the monument to Taras Shevchenko in central Kyiv.

"It became known [on January 14] that proceedings were launched in the case on 'the illegality of the arrest and the violation of the right to freedom of expression, freedom, protection and fair trial' of citizen Shvydka. The court does not currently report when the case will be considered," the press service of the Batkivschyna Party reported on Monday.

The complaint was filed with the ECHR in October 2011, after Kyiv's Court of Appeal upheld a resolution of Shevchenkivsky District Court. The court ruled as lawful the arrest of the retiree for ten days for "damage to the personal property of the president," a wreath that was laid at the monument to Shevchenko. In addition, the court saw in Shvydka's actions "a crude and cynical contempt for society and morality."

Shvydka, in turn, insisted that she committed such an act deliberately to protest against Yanukovych's policies and the actions of law enforcement agencies, and therefore the punishment in the form of arrest violates her right to freedom of expression and is persecution for her political beliefs.