Inexplicable but the fact: the malignant neoplasm under the name “Luhansk People’s Republic” accepted and started “temporary main law”, i.e “Constitution”. None other than ‘divine’ Igor Plotnitsky himself is the ‘guarantor’ of fulfillment of all that is promised there. Already funny? It could be if it wasn’t so sad. At this material we will descry only some of articles of “LPR Constitution” which are violated by separatists more and more impudent, turning their “main law” into a paper mockery.

“Worse than fascists”: how separatists eradicate the “second state language”

“The state languages in Luhansk People’s Republic are Russian and Ukrainian” (article 10, part 1)

“Everyone has a right to use native language, free to choose language of communication, education and creativity” (article 19, part 2)

“We don’t want to be as Ukrainians, that’s why we won’t forbid Ukrainian language”, such theses can be often met on pro-Russian republic websites.

Declaring on the ‘state’ level alleged bilingualism and loyalty to Ukrainian language, “LPR” authorities lay flowers to the monument of Taras Shevchenko at Birth of Kobzar just for show.

Besides, “builders of Russian World” never tire of boasting that Ukrainian Drama Theatre, ridiculously renamed in “On Oboronnaya”, continues its work in Luhansk. In reality, Ukrainian Theatre is superseded from occupied territories and its carriers are subjected to brutal repression and harassments. The resident of occupied Perevalsk told us indicative story. “I’m from the village, live here 10 years, but I accustomed to speak in Ukrainian at home. There were no problems with it before the war. But not so long ago we stood near “Kazachiy” bar and talked, I habitually speak Ukrainian”.

According to the words of woman, he communication in Ukrainian language attracted the attention of the couple of drunk ‘militants’ in cossacks papakhas, patrolling the center of miner’s town.

“They came closer and asked for my passport, but I didn’t have it. So, they cried that “maybe you’re the Ukrainian spy and dragged me into the car”.

Woman told that she was delivered to local Dept of “MSS” (Ministry of Security Service), where she was morally pressured during two hours and she got ban on the communication in Ukrainian.

“They shouted if I don’t want problems, I mustn’t speak in “calf language”. The fact that I have a right to do it according their ‘constitution’ is not an argument for them”.

Woman got off lightly and was released home. Now she makes herself to use Russian language in public places. Such situation is not the only one.

Ukrainian language is forcibly uprooted in “LPR”. Hours of iits studying are reducing, Ukrainian gymnasiums are closing, children, speaking Ukrainian, are trying to be ‘re-educated’. It’s impossible to find any print edition in the Ukrainian language in “LPR”.

“I’m against fascists, but the fact is that Germans during WWII in occupation issued their newspapers in Ukrainian. And these Russian occupants are worse than fascists”, noticed old woman, survived that horrible times.

The path is narrow and thorny: “LPR” prejudices the freedom of religion

“Religious communities are separated from the state and equal before the law. Any of religion or ideology can’t be established as state or mandatory” (article 9, parts 2,3).

“Everyone is guaranteed the freedom of the consciousness, freedom of faith, including the right to profess individually or together with others any religion or not to profess any, free choice having and free spreading religious and other creeds and to act according to them, except cases provided by law” (Article 21).

In spite of a fact that according to the ‘constitution’ all religions are equal in ‘republic’, the adherents of Putin, behind the scenes, but obviously have special love to the Orthodox churches of Moscow Patriarchy.  Other religious organizations are not in special honor in “LPR” and under attack. On August-September 2014 separatists detained and beat three priests of Jehovah’s Witnesses organization (two – in Stakhanov and one in Alchevsk). ‘Cossacks’ took the lodge “Kindom Hall” from religious organization Jehovah’s Witnesses in Krasny Luch on December 2014. Now the red flag is above the building, where parishioners worshiped.

Also Jehovah’s Witnesses were deprived the place of worship also in Perevalsk. On November 5, 2014 ‘cossacks’ expelled believers from the building in the center of the city, explaining the capturing of the “Kingdom Hall” by it comfortable location near the block-post. Now there is a canteen there. The same cases were fixed in Anthracite, Bryanka, Rovenki and a number of “DPR” towns.

Also, Orthodox churches, obeyed to Kyiv Patriarchy are under special attacks. Insurgents breaking inside a number of such churches in Luhansk, disrupted worships, blaming personal in the cooperation with ‘bloody junta’. Besides, because of their pro-Ukrainian position the representatives of Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kyiv Patriarchy lost their Cathedral in Luhansk and diocesan administration building. The activity of UOC KP in “LPR” is practically paralyzed for today.

Also, members of muslim communities and protestant churches are periodically repressed in “LPR”. In Pankovka village of Lutuhino district separatists captured and desecrated Buddhist Centre.

At the same time lessons of Orthodoxy, which must be visited by all pupils, regardless of denominations and faith, were forcibly introduced at schools.

Fooly censorship: you must forget about the freedom of speech

“Freedom of mass media is guaranteed. Censorship is forbidden, except cases provided by law” (Article 22, part 5)

All left on the territory of “LPR” media subjected to total control and censorship from the side of the “Ministry of Information” and “Ministry of State Security of LPR”. The papers of pro-Ukrainian direction were already closed in 2014. Other editions are forced to praise ruling regime and publish ‘correct’ texts sent from Luhansk. In these articles ‘journalists’ told how ‘republic’ is rising from its knees and about ‘atrocities of bloody junta’. Independent journalists, objectively describing the situation in the occupation, become the persons of persecution from the side of “MSS LPR”. One of the young journalists of Luhansk Maria Varfolomeeva has been being in the captivity of “LPR” insurgents more than a year. She is falsely accused in the coordination of the shellings from AFU side. Ukrainian speaking editions are forbidden in ‘republic’. Student newspaper “Impulse” was forcely Russified in Alchevsk. This edition has issued in Ukrainian from the 60’s of the last century. Also, chief editor was changed.

The issue of literary journal was banned in the same Alchevsk because of apolitical position of the publishers. The access to more than hundred websites (including Informator) was blocked on January 2015 in “LPR”.

According to the opinion of the “Ministry of Information”, the data of website threatened to ‘republic’. However, advanced users continue to visit banned websites, using anonymizers.

Herded into a stall: how Plotnitsky fills the ranks of his ‘party’

“Nobody could be forced to enter any community or union and to be in it” (Article 23, part 2)

All employments of budget and utility under the threat to be fired are forced to write the statements to enter the public movement of Plotnitsky “Mir Luganschine” (Peace to Luhansk Region) on the territory, controlled by “LPR”. Separatists forcibly herded into a stall of “Mir Luganschine” more than 62 thousand of people.

“Our chief said to us: or write the statement to enter “Mir Luganschine” or at the moment write the statement to dismiss. There is no third. All of us except one have entered. Insubordinate was fired”, tells Irina, the medic from one of the hospitals of Luhansk. The fact that leadership of “Mir Luganschine” had promulgated the list of its members in the internet spices the situation. Now, entered ‘Peace to Luhansk Region’ have a lot of problems with going out on the controlled Ukrainian lands. Such people are detained on the block-posts, they checked by SSU staff and as usually they are come back on the occupied territories.

Did meetings and pickets leave in the past?

“Citizens of Luhansk People’s Republic have a right to gather peaceably, without weapon, hold the gatherings, meetings and demonstrations, parades and pickets according to the law”  (Article 24).

Do you often read news about meetings in “LPR”? Or maybe you took part in the strikes and protest actions, made by unsatisfied by Plotnitsky regime citizens of “LPR”? Meetings and demonstrations in “LPR” is now out of the category of fiction. There were a few tries to hold meetings in a number of the cities in 2014-2015 with the aim to pay attention of the ‘authorities’ on the most acute social problems, like non-payment of salaries to state employees, lack of medicines, and exorbitant prices for transportation and utility services. Organizers of the meetings, gathered people with the help of social media, reported that before the holding of meetings the staff of “MSS” has come into their houses and under threat of physical violence banned to shake the situation. Not so long ago meeting of the businessmen in Luhansk, protested against taxes is the exception to the rule. No wonder that Plotnitsky not to allow repeated rebel of starving and discouraged and because of this unscared people, ordered to find and punish the organizers of the meeting to teach other worried masses.

Orwell wouldn’t imagine

“Everyone has a right to privacy of correspondence, telephone talks, post, telegraph and other messages” (Article 16, part 2).

A big number of military specialists from RF, having modern equipment to intercept and suppress mobile signal, is located on the territory, controlled by “LPR”. So, they can listen any talks of people.

‘Republic’ mobile operator “Lugacom” went further: to use “people’s” connection and buy a start pack, subscriber must do identification and sign a contract. Respectively, ‘republic’ knows, who is the owner of the concrete number. So, about what kind of secret negotiations then can we talk? It’s not a paranoia, it’s only terrible expression in the life of Orwellian dystopia.

Life in the cellar: it’s only dream the Dignity and Liberty

“Dignity of the personality is protected by the state. Nothing and nobody can be the base to derogate it. Nobody can be subjected to tortures, violence, other cruel or degrading treatment or punishment” (Article 14, part 2,3).

“Everyone has a right on the freedom and personal integrity” (Article 15).

Here are one of the most neglected moments in the ‘constitution’. Here we can describe a lot of well-known cases how “LPR” fighters kidnapped people, kept them in inhumane conditions in the basements of Regional SSU and in other places. They tortured, abused and often killed. The peak of terrible events has come on spring-summer 2014, when the most active phase of resistance was in Luhansk and Region.

But do not relax: such cases continue to happen nowadays. Now separatists do their best for such cases not to make public and leak in media.

Having of curfew also doesn’t harmonized with written above articles. Illegal detentions of people, limiting of freedom of movement, humiliate treatment to the ‘violators’ of the curfew and inhumane conditions in the basements, in which arrested are delivered are the tonight realities of all settlements, controlled by “LPR”.

Assuming the mass of replicas and counterarguments like “but Is Constitution in proverbial Ukraine holy blackness and well executed?” I propose right now to Olgino trolls and simple “novorossiya” readers from sofa troops: come to visit “LPR” and feel yourself all ‘pretties’ of imposed “Russian World”. Maybe, when savage thugs frantically decorate you with hematomas in the cellar for your coming back home at 10:05 pm, you will remember my words.

Lilith Rebrova for Informator.lg.ua

translated by Denis Bizkitov