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Opposition Bloc party urges Poroshenko to stop repressions against opposition

"Political persecution and pressure on the opposition continue in Ukraine," Opposition Bloc says in its statement
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko at a parliament session Mikhail Palinchak/TASS
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko at a parliament session
© Mikhail Palinchak/TASS

KIEV, June 16. /TASS/. Ukraine’s Opposition Bloc party has called on President Petro Poroshenko to stop pressure on those who disagree with the policy of the current government in the country, says the party’s statement released on Tuesday.

"Political persecution and pressure on the opposition continue in Ukraine," Opposition Bloc says in its statement. In particular, this is "evident in the delay of registration of the Opposition Bloc political party ahead of local elections in the Kharkiv region and the illegal decision to ban the opposition in the Ivano-Frankivsk region at the level of the regional council."

"The campaign against registration of our party unleashed in the regions has nothing to do with law and democracy," Opposition Bloc says pointing to "the need to abide by the Constitution, implement the provisions of the law on free elections, protect democratic and legal procedures during the registration of the opposition in the regions."

On May 18, 2015, the main territorial department of justice in the Kharkiv region took a decision for the second time in a row on refusal to conduct registration actions to change the location of the territorial branch of the Opposition Bloc party, the membership of its governing bodies and the name of its territorial organization. The Opposition Bloc challenged the decision in the Kharkiv District Administrative Court. According to the opposition party, the court deliberately delays the passing of the judgement by postponing the hearing.

On April 17, the Ivano-Frankivsk regional council took a decision on banning the state registration and the activities of the Opposition Bloc political party on the territory of the region. The Opposition Bloc lodged a complaint against the Ivano-Frankivsk regional council with a view of protecting the right of citizens to the freedom of association and the right to join political parties and seeking the cancellation of the decision.