Senators to appeal to Inter-Parliamentary Union over Medvedchuk situation - Matviyenko

MOSCOW. April 14 (Interfax) - The Federation Council will appeal to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) over the situation regarding Ukrainian parliamentarian Viktor Medvedchuk, who is being persecuted for his political views, speaker Valentina Matviyenko said.

"I think that the situation with Viktor Volodymyrovych Medvedchuk requires maximum attention from international institutions and organizations. This is why I instructed to prepare a statement to the IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians," Matviyenko stated on Telegram.

"Obviously, this amounts to persecution for political views, suppression of dissent and utter infringement of the foundations of democracy and parliamentarism," she said.

She expressed concern about the Ukrainian's health and safety. "In handcuffs, not just a citizen expressing his position, but a sitting parliamentarian and a party leader. A popular politician who from the start has openly advocated peace in Donbas. Someone who actively assisted in dealing with humanitarian issues, organized prisoner exchanges," Matviyenko said, adding that the letter addressed to the IPU Secretary General would be sent very soon.

On Tuesday, April 12, it emerged that Medvedchuk, the leader of the Opposition Platform - For Life faction in Ukraine's parliament, was detained.