The Ukrainian people are waging a holy liberation war for the right to exist. For the right and opportunity to be an integral part of the Free World. A world based on the highest value of human life, on the unconditional right of everyone to life, health, and personal safety.
You can think a lot about the theory of the most beautiful fundamental principles and values of the Free World. However, theory without practice is dead. Rights without opportunities, without mechanisms for their implementation, cannot be considered existing.
Could you imagine a situation in which the authorities of the United States or Israel, Germany or Japan, France or Italy, or any civilized country would respond to a request for help from their citizen who is in trouble anywhere on the planet with bureaucratic correspondence, and not with real help ? We can't imagine that.
And how does the Ukrainian state behave in such situations, which is incredibly expensive to acquire the right to be part of the Free World?
Earlier, we talked about the difficult and unpleasant situation with six Ukrainian citizens at the Verkhny Lars checkpoint on the border of Georgia with the Russian Federation.
Briefly recall the essence. On the night of August 16-17, 2023, 6 Ukrainian citizens, former prisoners, arrived at the Verkhny Lars checkpoint, who in the fall of 2022 were illegally taken to a military institution on the territory of Russia from correctional institutions in the temporarily occupied Kherson region. Georgia refused them entry to its territory. They categorically refused to return to Russia, as they were in real danger - a trumped-up charge of illegally crossing the border of the Russian Federation and a new Real prison term.
Already on August 17, we intervened in the situation by sending an appeal to the Embassy of Ukraine in Georgia, the Ombudsman of Georgia and the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights.
The response was received from Ukraine on August 18. Its meaning: we sympathize, we redirected your appeal to the "competent authorities". Who exactly is not specified in the response. So we got our first pass back.
On August 19, we applied to the State Border Service of Ukraine, rightly assuming that there are interstate communication channels for single-profile departments. This time, the response was received 4 days later – on August 23. Summary in a free translation: the state tax service of Ukraine will be happy to help if you come to the Ukrainian border with your problem. So our second pass was returned to us.
Despite the fact that the situation was new for us, "the path has not been followed", there was no developed action plan yet, we appealed to all the authorities that we considered necessary and possible. And while we were playing such football with the Ukrainian departments, our guys were on neutral territory. It is good that we, with the help of volunteers and ordinary concerned citizens, were able to organize food and water for the children. It is bad that among them there were those who needed continuous treatment. It is logical that we have asked the Ministry of health of Ukraine for help and assistance. And since the guys are ex-prisoners, then to the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine. With this result, we went on a break.
Appeals to Georgian relevant departments ended with an obvious reaction: Georgia announced that it is ready to let Ukrainian citizens into its territory if Ukraine confirms their identity and, in fact, interest in their fate.
Due to the lack of responses from Ukraine, together with our regular partners EPLN, we have applied to the ECHR with a request to take urgent measures due to the situation that threatens human life. One of the children's health condition deteriorated sharply due to the lack of necessary permanent treatment. The appeal to the ECHR gave the desired result. On August 27, 2023, all six Ukrainian citizens received permits to enter Georgia. In the end, everyone was saved. Hooray. Applause.
But our story is about "football". And according to our chronology, positive events occurred during the break. It's time to talk about the second half.
The "second half" was opened on September 12 by pass, that is, by a letter from the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine. Here's a rundown of its epic content.
Your request has been reviewed. While we were considering it, it became known from the media that the situation was resolved. You are great fellows. If anything happens, please contact us. Always yours, Ministry of Justice.
The only goal in this match was scored by the Ministry of health of Ukraine. By October 6, this truly outstanding player had made sense of the appeal about the need for urgent, urgent medical care for a person in need of constant treatment, pointed out that prisoners (probably even former ones) should be treated by prison hospitals, and expressed deep concern about the facts stated in the appeal.
That's the kind of football we play here. And you say – Euro2024.
P.S.
Now all six characters in this story are alive and well, socially adapted, leading a law-abiding, socially acceptable lifestyle.
UnMode continues to monitor the situation with the return of Ukrainian ex-prisoners from the Russian Federation, provide them with all possible support, and make every effort to ensure equal access to the realization of their rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of former convicts. In a developed civilized society, there is no place for discrimination on any basis!