Human rights organizations react to Zelenskyy’s sanctions on Poroshenko, Zhevago, Kolomoisky, Bogolyubov

The Information Portal of the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group published the statement.

The application of sanctions to opposition politicians and businessmen is an extrajudicial political reprisal that undermines the fundamental principles of law, grossly violates the Constitution and international agreements ratified by Ukraine, poses serious threats to human rights and fundamental freedoms, and is also a usurpation of power in the state.

Citizens of Ukraine, or foreign citizens under the jurisdiction of Ukraine or friendly states with which Ukraine has international legal agreements on the extradition of offenders, cannot be subject to sanctions.

Sanctions are an international legal mechanism of a political nature that one state applies against another state, its individuals, and legal entities since there is simply no other way to combat their hostile influence. The application of sanctions to its citizens is possible only if they hide in hostile jurisdictions abroad or in temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, and the state does not have mechanisms to hold them accountable. The actions of President Zelensky are not sanctions in their international legal sense but extrajudicial repression of political opponents.

Such actions of the President of Ukraine are illegal and arbitrary and replace the law enforcement and judicial system with directive management. Sanctions entail significant restrictions on rights, and the state must ensure compliance with several guarantees while applying them, in particular: no punishment without law, the right to a fair trial by a court established by law, compliance with the principle of the presumption of innocence, the right to be informed promptly and in detail about the nature and reasons for the accusation, the right to an effective remedy, etc. However, none of these guarantees were observed in the current situation with the applied sanctions.

Sanctions cannot serve as a tool for bringing to justice criminal offenses, even when an investigation is ongoing against a person. Sanctions cannot replace criminal liability since the principles of justice are nullified by the political motives guiding the sanctions’ authors. Using sanctions instead of an investigation and a fair trial means the destruction of democracy in Ukraine.

Decree of the President of Ukraine No. 81/2025 On the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine dated February 12, 2025, “On the application of personal special economic and other restrictive measures (sanctions)” based on the decision of the NSDC dated February 12, 2025, is a political persecution of the opposition and a usurpation of power, because the President, in violation of the Constitution of Ukraine, appropriated the powers of the judicial branch of government.

Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group

Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union

Center for Civil Liberties

Centre of Law Enforcement Activities Research

Charity Foundation “Human and Law”

Human Rights Group “Sich”

Association of relatives of political prisoners of the Kremlin

Ukrainian Institute for Human Rights

Ukrainian Legal Aid Foundation

Blue Bird

International Society for Human Rights — Ukrainian Section

Educational House of Human Rights — Chernihiv

Association of Jewish organizations and communities of Ukraine (Vaad of Ukraine);

Congress of National Communities of Ukraine

Institute of Democracy named Pylyp Orlyk

Civil organisation “Social Capital”

Ternopil City NGO "Adaptation Men's Center"