Mariana Oleynik, "Kievskiye Vedomosti" newspaper, Wednesday, October 25, 1995

[Translated into English by A.Prishchenko, 1/11/1995]

Ukraine is a champion in Europe in munber of sentenced to death and executions, -- minister of justice Sergiy Golovaty declared yesterday at his first press conference in his new post. (Apropos, any data concerning this topic, according to Mr. Minister, are the state secret.) However, in view of joining to European Council, our country must sign several conventions that concern human rights, including the moratorium on death penalty. The position of political leadership of Ukraine on this question is clear. Having expressed an intention to join European Council, according to Mr. Golovaty, Ukraine automatically declared its readiness to fulfil all appropriate obligations. Decisions on such moratorium were already taken by ex-soviet Baltic republics and Moldova, that have joined EC, and even by Russia, that didn't.

Sergiy Golovaty informed, that officially, executions in Ukraine may be stopped before November 9 -- the date when Ukrainian flag must appear in front of headquarters of EC in Strasburg, but stressed that there is no question yet of changing legislation. Ukraine, Mr. Minister believes, must do this not only because of obligations in EC, but because of a duty for it's own citizens. "The state possesses no right to deprive man of life",-- Mr. Golovaty exclaimed. For reasonable remarks of journalists: if it is just that a man deprives another man of his life and is not punished as much severely as possible, Mr. Minister replied, that the state can't influence behaviour of separate individuals. All questions on financial and other difficulties connected with replacing death penalty with long terms of imprisonment, Sergiy Golovaty also parried proudly: "You all tell me about material things, but I speak about spirits!", and was right when remarked, that our state cannot provide tolerable live conditions not only

for those who is in prison, but also who is free...

Mr. Minister recognized, that our society is not ready for abolition of death penalty yet. "But was Ukraine 10 years ago ready for independence? And 5 years ago -- for reforms?" We must bring up society, but not with violent, "bloodthirsty" methods. As to criminality growth, an existence or an abolition of death penalty doesn't influence it at all, Sergiy Golovaty declared, and referred to an article in "Kievskiye Vedomosti", that there are more and more executions, but the number of crimes also steadily grows.

Opponents of the moratorium on capital punishment forget, according to Mr. Golovaty, about the other side of the question: the possibility of trial mistake while sentencing to death. As a conclusion, Mr. Minister appealed to journalists to help in struggle for expressed opinion in such a complicated problem.