The Ukrainian Social Democratic Party (Ukrains'ka Sotsial-Demokratychna Partiya, USDP [Electionsworld.org 11 Jan. 2003]) splintered from the Social Democratic Party-United (Sotsial-Demokratychna Partiya Ukrainy-Obyednana, SDPU-O [Political Parties of Eastern Europe 2002, 942]) on 3 October 1998 and is led by Vasil Onopenko (The Day 13 Oct. 1998; Zerkalo Nedeli 16-22 Mar. 2002; ibid. 23 Feb.-1 Mar. 2002). For information concerning the SDPU-O, please consult UKR41890.E of 14 August 2003 and UKR40171.E of 16 April 2003.

On 10 July 2001, the USDP joined six other parties under the opposition Yulia (Yuliya, Yulya, Juliya) Tymoshenko Election Bloc (Vibortsyj Blok Julii Tymoshenko, JT) (Zerkalo Nedeli 23 Feb.-1 Mar. 2002; Electionsworld.org 11 Jan. 2003). In 2002, Ukrainian weekly Zerkalo Nedeli described Onopenko as having the courts' respect because of his legal background as well as having many supporters in central Ukraine and among leaders of many charismatic churches (23 Feb.-1 Mar. 2002). The USDP ran 34 candidates on JT party lists in the 30 March 2002 parliamentary election campaign (ibid.). Onopenko is currently a member of the Ukrainian parliament (FBIS Report 10 Sept. 2003; Ukrayina Moloda 30 July 2003), and was appointed to head the Committee for Issues of Legal Policy in June 2002 (RFE/RL 12 June 2002). Recent reports indicate that Onopenko is no longer affiliated with the JT bloc (AIC 4 Feb. 2003; The Day 15 Oct. 2002) and The Day reported on 15 October 2002 that he was also considering relinquishing his chairmanship of the USDP. The Research Directorate was unable to find reports indicating the status of the USDP or Onopenko's role therein among the sources consulted. Onopenko's own Website maintains a page containing information on the USDP; however, this page was last updated on 27 February 2002 (Onopenko.org.ua 27 Feb. 2002).

In its report of the 31 March 2002 parliamentary elections, the British Helsinki Human Rights Group (BHHRG) stated that, in its opinion, the USDP was one of a number of small parties that looked suspiciously like "'phantoms,'" because its "nationwide structure was negligible" (2002). The group considered that phantom organizations like the USDP were part of a campaign to deprive other parties from receiving votes in the March election (BHHRG 2002). Indeed, the group called USDP "de facto bogus" and cited allegations that Onopenko had "'sold' the Social-Democratic Party structure to the SDPU-O some years ago" (ibid.). Even so, the Research Directorate found numerous Ukrainian-language reports from 2003 referring to the party's activities, among the sources consulted (Rupor 24 Feb. 2003; Stolichnye Novosti 27 May-2 June 2003).

The Research Directorate was unable to find reports of the mistreatment of USDP party members among the sources consulted. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) reported that

During the pre-election campaign, a number of physical assaults and harassment of candidates and campaign workers took place, especially against those working for the Socialist Party, "Our Ukraine" and "Yulia Tymoshenko" blocs. Incidents against opposition and "Our Ukraine" candidates and activists were reported in Kyiv City, Kyiv Region, Odessa, Rivne, Donetsk, Kirovohrad, Poltava and Lviv (27 May 2002, 14).

For further information concerning the treatment of JT members, please consult UKR41890.E of 14 August 2003.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Agrarian Informational Centre (AIC) [Kiev]. 4 February 2003. "Mykhaylo Gladiy Is Awarded with the Supreme Council Certificate of Honour." http://eng.ukrland.org.ua/index.php/article/articleview/512/1/8/ [Accessed 22 Dec. 2003]

British Helsinki Human Rights Group (BHHRG). 2002. "Ukraine 2002: Parliamentary Elections." http://www.bhhrg.org/print.asp?ReportID=&CountryID=22 [Accessed 19 Dec. 2003]

The Day [Kiev]. 15 October 2002. No. 31. Volodymyr Soniuk. "The Majority: Take 2." http://day.kiev.ua/DIGEST/2002/31/den-ukr/du2.htm [Accessed 22 Dec. 2003]

_____. 13 October 1998. No. 36. Iryna Havrylova and Tetyana Korobova. "Congratulations! We Now Have Three Social Democratic Parties." http://day.kiev.ua/DIGEST/1998/36/daybyday/day-1.htm [Accessed 25 Sept. 2003]

Electionsworld.org. 11 January 2003. "Elections in Ukraine." http://www.electionworld.org/election/ukraine.htm [Accessed 18 Dec. 2003]

FBIS Report [in Ukrainian]. 10 September 2003. "Selection List: Ukraine Press 10 Sep 03." (FBIS-SOV-2003-0910 11 Sept. 2003/Dialog)

Onopenko.org.ua [in Ukrainian]. 27 February 2002. "Ukrainian Social-Democratic Party." http://www.onopenko.org.ua/usdp.html [Accessed 22 Dec. 2003]

Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) [Warsaw]. 27 May 2002. Ukraine: Parliamentary Elections 31 March 2002: Final Report. http://www.osce.org/odihr/documents/reports/election_reports/ua/ua_pe_march2002_efr.pdf [Accessed 22 Dec. 2003]

Political Parties of Eastern Europe. 2002. Janusz Bugajski. Armonk, New York: M.E. Sharpe.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). 12 June 2002. Poland, Belarus and Ukraine Report. Vol. 4, No. 23. "Who Got What On Parliamentary Committees." http://www.rferl.org/pbureport/2002/06/23-120602.html [Accessed 22 Dec. 2003]

Rupor [Kiev, in Russian]. 24 February 2003. "USDP's Activity in the Current Year" http://rupor.info/news/2003/02/24/161544.html [Accessed 28 Dec. 2003]

Stolichnye Novosti (Capital News) [Kiev, in Russian]. 27 May-2 June 2003. Vladimir Katsman and Victoria Chirva "Vasil Onopenko: In the Soul I Will Always Remain a Judge." http://www.cn.com.ua/N264/politics/view/view.html [Accessed 28 Dec. 2003]

Ukrayina Moloda [Kiev, in Ukrainian]. 30 July 2003. "Ukrainian TV Channel Found Guilty in Libel Case." (FBIS-SOV-2003-0730 31 July 2003/Dialog)

Zerkalo Nedeli [Kiev]. 16-22 March 2002. Vol. 10, No. 385. Serhii Rakhmanin and Yulia Mostovaya. "Ukrainian Political Parties. Part IV. The Social Democratic Party (United)." http://www.mirror-weekly.com/ie/show/385/34166 [Accessed 8 Aug. 2003]

_____. 23 February-1 March 2002. Vol. 7, No. 382. Serhii Rakhmanin and Yulia Mostovaya. "Ukrainian Political Parties. Part III. The Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc." http://www.mirror-weekly.com/ie/show/382/33937 [Accessed 8 Aug. 2003]

Additional Sources Consulted

Europa 2002

Europa 2003

Political Parties of the World

Internet sites, including:

Central Election Committee of Ukraine

European Forum for Democracy and Solidarity

Ukrainian Weekly

Vasil Onopenko personal Website (in Ukrainian)

Yuliya Tymoshenko personal Website