•HRES 730 IH 
Ukraine has played a vital, active, and constructive role 
in enhancing global security; 
Whereas Ukraine stands at a critical juncture in its develop-
ment to a more fully democratic country, and the par-
liamentary elections on October 28, 2012, will play a 
highly significant role in demonstrating the seriousness of 
the Ukrainian authorities’ commitment to democracy and 
respect for human rights and the rule of law; 
Whereas, since Viktor Yanukovych became President of 
Ukraine in February 2010, Ukraine has seen serious set-
backs to its democratic development, including the con-
centration of power in the hands of the president and his 
Party of Regions; 
Whereas the Yanukovych administration has engaged in the 
abusive practice of selective justice, targeting leading op-
position political figures for prosecution; 
Whereas the most stark manifestation of Ukraine’s demo-
cratic backsliding has been the politically motivated pros-
ecution and imprisonment of former Prime Minister and 
opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko, former Interior 
Minister and opposition leader Yuri Lutsenko, and 
former acting Defense Minister Valery Ivashchenko; 
Whereas Ms. Tymoshenko and other imprisoned senior 
former government officials have been denied access to 
proper medical care; 
Whereas, since Ms. Tymoshenko’s imprisonment, the Pros-
ecutor General has reopened additional highly question-
able, politically motivated cases against her, some of 
which were previously closed and reported to be sealed 
under a 10-year statute of limitations; 
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•HRES 730 IH 
Whereas the continued imprisonment and prohibition from 
participation in the October parliamentary elections of 
Ms. Tymoshenko and Mr. Lutsenko makes it impossible 
for the international community to assess these elections 
as having fully met international democratic standards; 
Whereas according to the Department of State’s 2011 Coun-
try Report on Human Rights Practices, serious and sa-
lient human rights problems in Ukraine include the Gov-
ernment of Ukraine’s measures to limit freedom of peace-
ful assembly, increased government pressure on inde-
pendent media outlets and nongovernmental organiza-
tions (NGOs), and pervasive corruption in all branches of 
government, all of which could have a detrimental impact 
on the upcoming election process; 
Whereas the Freedom in the World Indexes for 2011 and 
2012 prepared by Freedom House have downgraded 
Ukraine’s rating from ‘‘Free’’ to a ‘‘Partly Free’’ country 
under conditions created by the current government; 
Whereas Ukraine’s past 4 national elections, 2 presidential 
and 2 parliamentary, received positive assessments from 
the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe 
(OSCE)-led international observation missions; 
Whereas the October 2010 nationwide local elections, in con-
trast, fell short of democratic standards, according to 
credible domestic and international observers; 
Whereas the Government of Ukraine can restore some meas-
ure of credibility by impartially administering the elec-
tions, allowing the campaign environment in which can-
didates, campaign activists, and observers can operate 
free from harassment and intimidation, ensuring the 
transparent and equitable formation of territorial and 
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•HRES 730 IH 
precinct election commissions, and respecting and adher-
ing to the legal framework for the election; 
Whereas Ukraine will assume the leadership of the OSCE as 
the Chair-in-Office for 2013 and can expect closer scru-
tiny of its OSCE commitments; and 
Whereas the Government of Ukraine can demonstrate its 
commitment to democracy by conducting a free, fair, and 
transparent parliamentary election process, as the quality 
of this process will determine the course of the future re-
lations between the United States and Ukraine: Now, 
therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) demands that President Yanukovych and 
the Government of Ukraine cease selective prosecu-
tions, free Mrs. Tymoshenko and the other senior of-
ficials of the previous government currently in deten-
tion, and restore their full political and civil rights; 
(2) urges the Government of Ukraine to ensure 
full respect of the legal and human rights of all pris-
oners sentenced on politically motivated grounds, in-
cluding the right to medical care, in line with inter-
national standards; 
(3) calls for denying United States visas to 
Ukrainian officials involved in serious human rights 
abuses, anti-democratic actions, or corruption that 
undermines or injures democratic institutions in 
Ukraine, including officials responsible for and par-
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•HRES 730 IH 
ticipating in the selective prosecution and persecu-
tion of political opponents; 
(4) urges the Government of Ukraine to meet 
its commitments on free and fair elections, as delin-
eated in the 1990 Copenhagen Document of the Or-
ganization for Security and Cooperation in Europe 
(OSCE), with respect to the entire campaign proc-
ess, including formation of election commissions, 
nomination of candidates, campaign, voting, count, 
tabulation, and processing of election challenges and 
complaints; 
(5) urges the Ukrainian authorities to ensure— 
(A) the full transparency of election proce-
dures before, during, and after the 2012 par-
liamentary elections; 
(B) free access for domestic and inter-
national election observers; 
(C) balanced and fair representation on all 
election commissions; 
(D) unimpeded access by all parties and 
candidates to print, radio, television, and Inter-
net media on a non-discriminatory basis; and 
(E) the freedom of candidates, members of 
opposition parties, and independent media orga-
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•HRES 730 IH 
nizations from intimidation or harassment by 
government officials at all levels; 
(6) urges that the courts of Ukraine address all 
election-related complaints objectively and in timely 
fashion; 
(7) encourages the Government of Ukraine to 
take immediate measures to reverse the current anti- 
democratic course and display exemplary conduct as 
the incoming 2013 OSCE Chair-in-Office by adher-
ing to its OSCE commitments, especially in the 
areas of human rights and fundamental freedoms, 
democracy, and the rule of law; 
(8) expresses its continuing strong support for 
the efforts of Ukrainian citizens to establish democ-
racy based on the rule of law and respect for human 
rights; and 
(9) reaffirms its ongoing support for Ukraine’s 
independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, 
and assumption of Ukraine’s rightful place as a full 
member of the international community of democ-
racies. 
Æ 
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