Ukraine Government Bill 5488 to criminalise hate crimes, including on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity
17.6.2021
Question for written answer E-003191/2021
to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
Rule 138
Fabio Massimo Castaldo (NI), Terry Reintke (Verts/ALE), Liesje Schreinemacher (Renew), Malin Björk (The Left), Maria Walsh (PPE), Marc Angel (S&D), Malik Azmani (Renew), Łukasz Kohut (S&D), Karen Melchior (Renew), Dietmar Köster (S&D), Cyrus Engerer (S&D), Monika Vana (Verts/ALE), Sandro Gozi (Renew), Francisco Guerreiro (Verts/ALE), Robert Biedroń (S&D), Sándor Rónai (S&D), Manuel Bompard (The Left), Pierre Karleskind (Renew), Isabel Carvalhais (S&D), Aurore Lalucq (S&D), Radka Maxová (S&D), Irène Tolleret (Renew), Erik Marquardt (Verts/ALE), Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield (Verts/ALE), Evin Incir (S&D)
The Criminal Code of Ukraine currently only recognises hate crimes motivated by racial, national or religious intolerance. Nevertheless, the Cabinet of Ministers introduced on 13 May 2021 Bill 5488, developed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs[1]. The bill carries amendments which would criminalise hate crimes on various grounds, including sexual orientation and gender identity.
This proposal is in line with the government’s Action Plan on Implementation of the National Human Rights Strategy, as well as the recommendations of the European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance[2] and the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe[3].
In its latest resolution on the implementation of the EU Association Agreement with Ukraine, Parliament called on the government to amend the Criminal Code accordingly[4]. Given the likely opposition to this proposal, there is an urgent need for EU advocacy/support.
- 1.What measures, if any, have the EU Delegation in Kyiv or the EEAS taken to demonstrate support for the amended bill, and what is still planned?
- 2.Will the VP/HR contact his government counterpart in Ukraine to convey support to the amended bill?
- 3.Is there other high-level outreach planned, namely, will this issue be raised in meetings with Ukrainian counterparts on different levels?
- [1] http://w1.c1.rada.gov.ua/pls/zweb2/webproc4_1?pf3511=71891
- [2] https://rm.coe.int/ecri-conclusions-on-the-implementation-of-the-recommendations-in-respe/16809e8277
- [3] https://search.coe.int/cm/Pages/result_details.aspx?ObjectID=09000016805cf40a
- [4] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2021-0050_EN.pdf