Yevgen Yukhymovych Zakharov (born 12 November 1952) is a Ukrainian

human rights Human rights are universally recognized Morality, moral principles or Social norm, norms that establish standards of human behavior and are often protected by both Municipal law, national and international laws. These rights are considered ...

activist and member of the Ukrainian PEN. He is a chairman of the board of the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union, Director of the Kharkiv Human Rights Group. He was an activist in the dissident movement of the 1970s and 1980s.

Biography

Zakharov was born on November 12, 1952, in the city of

Kharkiv Kharkiv, also known as Kharkov, is the second-largest List of cities in Ukraine, city in Ukraine.

Education

* 1960–1970 – Zakharov studied at the secondary school, Kharkiv *1970–1975 – he graduated from the Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics of the

Kharkiv State University The V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University (), also known as Kharkiv National University or Karazin University, is a public university in Kharkiv, Ukraine. It was founded in 1804 through the efforts of Vasily Karazin, becoming the second old ...

, graduating with

honors Honour (or honor in American English) is the quality of being honorable. Honor or Honour may also refer to: People * Honor (given name), a unisex given name, including a list of people with the name * Honour (surname), English-language surnam ...

*1982–1985 – Zakharov was a graduate student of the Rostov Institute of Railway Engineers *1985 – he became

Candidate of Sciences A Candidate of Sciences is a Doctor of Philosophy, PhD-equivalent academic research degree in all the post-Soviet countries with the exception of Ukraine, and until the 1990s it was also awarded in Central and Eastern European countries. It is ...

(

Technology Technology is the application of Conceptual model, conceptual knowledge to achieve practical goals, especially in a reproducible way. The word ''technology'' can also mean the products resulting from such efforts, including both tangible too ...

) *September 1996 – Zakharov was a participant of the USIA’s International Visitors Program “Development of Democracy in Multiethnic Societies” (

USA The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguous ...

) *August 1998 – he studied at first school on monitoring human rights, Helsinki Foundation (

Warsaw Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...

)

Work

In 1975–1987, he worked as an

engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who Invention, invent, design, build, maintain and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials. They aim to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while ...

mathematician A mathematician is someone who uses an extensive knowledge of mathematics in their work, typically to solve mathematical problems. Mathematicians are concerned with numbers, data, quantity, mathematical structure, structure, space, Mathematica ...

, Special Design Bureau of

Electric Motors An electric motor is a machine that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. Most electric motors operate through the interaction between the motor's magnetic field and electric current in a wire winding to generate Laplace force i ...

, Kharkiv. In 1987–1993, Zakharov was head of the bureau on automation of the design of electric machines and apparatus of the Kharkiv Electro-Mechanical Plant. In 1988–1992, Zakharov was a

correspondent A correspondent or on-the-scene reporter is usually a journalist or commentator for a magazine, or an agent who contributes reports to a newspaper, or radio or television news, or another type of company, from a remote, often distant, locati ...

for the ''Express Chronicle''

newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as poli ...

. Since 1990 he has been the deputy chairman of the Kharkiv City Commission for the Restoration of the Rights of the Rehabilitated and Repressed. In 1990–1994, he was a deputy of the

Kharkiv City Council Kharkiv City Council () is the city council for the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, and is elected every five years to run the city's local government. History Until 1870, members of the city council were elected according to the estate order, and ...

. In 1993–1997, he was editor-in-chief of the journal ''Human Rights in Ukraine'' (edition of the Ukrainian-American Bureau on Human Rights Protection, since 1993 21 issues have been published). Since February 1997 Zakharov is an executive director of the

Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group The Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group (KhPG) is one of the oldest and most active Ukrainian human rights organizations. As a legal entity, it was established in 1992, but it has been working as a human rights protection group in the Ukrain ...

, editor-in-chief of the weekly ''Prava Ludyny'' ("Human Rights") and quarterly ''Freedom of Expression and Privacy''.

Public activities

He has also participated in the law-protective movement since the 1970s. In 1989, Zakharov became co-chair of the ''Kharkiv Memorial'', he held a position until 1992. In 1989–2002, he was a member of the Moscow Helsinki Group. In 1992–2011, Zakharov was a co-chairperson of the

. Since 1995 he is a member of the Ukrainian Section of the

International Society for Human Rights The International Society for Human Rights (ISHR) is an international non-governmental, non-profit human rights organization with Participative Status with the Council of Europe and is a member of the Liaison Committee of the Non-Governmental O ...

. In 2004–2008 he headed the board of the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union. In 2010–2011, he was a member of the board of the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union. Since 2011, he is a director of the

. Since 25 January 2012, he is a head of the board of the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union.

Social activities

17 November 2006 several Ukrainian NGOs proposed him to be elected as ombudsman. As a result of the civic campaign, he was officially nominated as ombudsman and voted in Ukrainian Parliament. He lost to Nina Karpachova. 28 January 2012 Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union suggested him for a position of ombudsman again. 7 February 2012 opposition in Ukrainian Parliament decided to nominate him for an ombudsman. On 15 March, 2012

Ukrainian Parliament The Verkhovna Rada ( ; VR), officially the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, is the unicameral parliament of Ukraine. It consists of 450 deputies presided over by a speaker. The Verkhovna Rada meets in the Verkhovna Rada building in Ukraine's capi ...

could not elect an

ombudsman An ombudsman ( , also ) is a government employee who investigates and tries to resolve complaints, usually through recommendations (binding or not) or mediation. They are usually appointed by the government or by parliament (often with a sign ...

. Zakharov received 132 votes. In 2014–2015, he was a member of the Competition Commission, which is responsible for nominating candidates for the position of Director of the

National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine () is a Ukrainian Government, Ukrainian law enforcement agency, law enforcement anti-corruption agency which investigates corruption in Ukraine and prepares cases for prosecution. It has investig ...

. Zakharov was appointed by the quota of the President of Ukraine. In June 2018, he supported an open letter from cultural figures, politicians, and human rights activists calling on world leaders to defend Ukrainian prisoner Oleg Sentsov and other

political prisoners A political prisoner is someone imprisoned for their political activity. The political offense is not always the official reason for the prisoner's detention. There is no internationally recognized legal definition of the concept, although ...

Campaign (2006–2007)

The campaign "Zakharov to the ombudsman!" (Ukrainian: "''Захарова – в омбудсмени!''") started on November 17, 2006. The campaign aimed to nominate Zakharov, a well-known human rights activist, to the post of the Verkhovna Rada Commission for Human Rights. His candidacy was supported by more than 340

non-governmental organizations A non-governmental organization (NGO) is an independent, typically nonprofit organization that operates outside government control, though it may get a significant percentage of its funding from government or corporate sources. NGOs often focus ...

in Ukraine and more than 120

international organizations An international organization, also known as an intergovernmental organization or an international institution, is an organization that is established by a treaty or other type of instrument governed by international law and possesses its own leg ...

. Zakharov was registered by the profile committee of the Verkhovna Rada as an official candidate for the position of the

Commissioner for Human Rights The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights is an independent and impartial non-judicial institution established in 1999 by the Strasbourg-based Council of Europe, to promote awareness of and respect for human rights in the council's 46 ...

. It happened because of the support of the people's initiative by some deputies from the '' BYuT – Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc'' (Ukrainian: ''БЮТ, Блок Юлії Тимошенко'') and ''

Our Ukraine–People's Self-Defense Bloc The Our Ukraine–People's Self-Defense Bloc (, Russian language, Russian: Блок Наша Украина – Народная Самооборона, ''Blok Nasha Ukraina – Narodnaya Samooborona,'' NUNS; until 2007 named Our Ukraine Bloc) w ...

'' (Ukrainian: ''Наша Україна – Народна самооборона'') factions. They collected the required number of signatures under the appeal to the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada and the profile committee of the Verkhovna Rada. 121 people's deputies from the BYuT, SPU, Out Ukraine, and

Party of Regions A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, recreation, or as part of a festival or other commemoration or celebration of a special occasion. A party will often feature ...

factions supported Zakharov's candidacy for the post of Ombudsman. During the vote in the Verkhovna Rada, 154 people's deputies supported Zakharov. A significant achievement of the campaign was the actualization of problems in the work of the ombudsman, drawing attention to them both the Ukrainian and European community. Another important achievement was the willingness to take public control of the ombudsman's activities, regardless of the person holding the position. The campaign became an example of uniting the efforts of public and human rights organizations in building

civil society Civil society can be understood as the "third sector" of society, distinct from government and business, and including the family and the private sphere.Revolution of Dignity The Revolution of Dignity (), also known as the Maidan Revolution or the Ukrainian Revolution, took place in Ukraine in February 2014 at the end of the Euromaidan protests, when deadly clashes between protesters and state forces in the capit ...

, Zakharov was appointed chairman of the Expert Council for Police Reform at the

Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine (; ; ) is the Ministry (government department), ministry of the Government of Ukraine, Ukrainian government that oversees the interior affairs of Ukraine. History Name *People's Committee of Internal ...

, which was established in April 2014 on behalf of

Interior Minister An interior minister (sometimes called a minister of internal affairs or minister of home affairs) is a Cabinet (government), cabinet official position that is responsible for internal affairs, such as public security, civil registration and iden ...

Arsen Avakov Arsen Borysovych Avakov (, ; born 2 January 1964) is a Ukrainian politician of Armenian descent who served as the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine from 2014 to 2021. He was the Chairman of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration from ...

Publications

11 scientific articles on applied mathematics and design of electric machines (1976–1985) and more than 200 publications devoted to human rights, civil society and history of political repressions in the Soviet Union and Ukraine. Publications were printed in Ukraine,

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

, the US, Canada,

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

Lithuania Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...

Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...

(1987–2010). His works include *Ukraine Genocide Analysis *Human Dimension of the Ukrainian Famine *Respect for economic, social and cultural rights in Ukraine * Selected decisions of the European Court of Human Rights of Ukraine - 2006 * Human rights - my personal opinion 2000 His was referenced in 2008 Human Rights Reports: Ukraine

Awards

# Award of the President of Ukraine — anniversary medal "''25 years of independence of Ukraine''", 2016 #Laureate of Vasyl Stus Prize, January 2012 # , October 2008.The decree of President of Ukraine (in Ukrainian)
/ref> # The Independent Cultural Journal “Ї” Award «For Intellectual Courage», December 2007

External links

Yevgen Zakharov articles on Maidan

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zakharov, Yevgen 1952 births Living people Recipients of the Vasyl Stus Prize National University of Kharkiv alumni Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union Recipients of the Order of Liberty (Ukraine)