One of the first documents which will be examined by the new-elected Ukrainian parliament (the elections have taken place in two rounds on March 27 and April 10) will be the new Criminal Code.

The draft of the Code which has to be presented, provides death penalty in 24 cases (instead of 21 provided by the current Criminal Code). For example, according the Article 367, the capital punishment can be applied to a soldier for violation of the border service rules. This position is absent in the current legislation. The draft was in particularly criticized in the para-official newspaper "Golos Ukrainy" by the lawyers V. Smitienko and G. Agafonov.

Mr. Ivan Pliushch, speaker of the current Ukrainian parliament and deputy of the new-elected one, told few days ago in the interview given to "Molodj Ukrainy" newspaper: "I am in favour of the principle 'death for death'. I declare it openly. We have a lot of democrats who want the same legislation as in France. But first, it is necessary to became the same society as France and only afterwards to admit its legislation."

On April 22 the old parliament has to lay down its full power. It is unknown yet, when concretely the new parliament will convene at its first session. But anyway we have to be ready that in May Ukrainian Supreme Rada can begin debates on the new Criminal Code. By this way the situation does not give us time to organize a massive campaign. But what we can do as it seams to me, is: 1) an international appeal with some tens of signatures of MPs and VIPs from different countries and 2) transnational manifestation in different capitals in front of Ukrainian embassies during the debates on this issue in Ukrainian parliament. Maybe it can not change the situation by the radical (sorry for a pun) way, but anyway it will mean that Radicals are not staying out in this dangerous situation.