Zelensky faces backlash over appointment of judge accused of persecuting EuroMaidan protesters
Viktor Kytsyuk is one of the most high-profile judges accused of issuing unlawful rulings against protesters during the the 2013-2014 EuroMaidan Revolution, or Revolution of Dignity, which ousted pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych.
President Volodymyr Zelensky's recent appointment of Viktor Kytsiuk, a judge known for issuing unlawful rulings during the 2013-2014 EuroMaidan Revolution, has drawn widespread condemnation. Appointed to Kyiv's Pechersk District Court for life on September 25, Kytsiuk is one of several high-profile judges accused of persecuting EuroMaidan protesters and violating ethical standards.
Kytsiuk's appointment occurs amid a series of controversial judicial appointments, including those of Taras Zayets, Maryna Lozynska, Olena Izovitova-Vakim, Viktoria Parnenko, Hanna Lebedeva, and Anton Kotliar. Kytsiuk's past rulings against EuroMaidan activists, such as stripping Serhiy Poyarkov and Mykhailo Cherkasenko of driver's licenses, have been widely criticized.
The High Council of Justice had previously refused to appoint Kytsiuk as a judge due to his criminal case, but the Supreme Court overturned this decision in 2019, allowing his potential reappointment. Critics argue that these recent appointments undermine judicial reform efforts and threaten the integrity of Ukraine's judiciary.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Independent's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
