On November, 11, 2010, Heidi Hautala sent a letter to Mr Štefan Füle, Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, where she expressed her deep concern over protection of asylum rights in Ukraine.[:]

Dear Commissioner Füle,

I am writing to you to express my deep concern over news I have received concerning the recent search of the office premises of the Vinnytsya Human Rights Group and the home of Dmytro Groysman, the Chair of the Group on 15th of October, in Vinnytsya, Ukraine.

Upon the search to the home of Mr Groysman and the offices of the Group, paper files, computer discs, memory sticks and laptop were confiscated. All this material contained information relating to the work of the Group. This information is of most sensitive nature as it concerns directly the victims of human rights violations and asylum seekers. Among other matters, they include information about threats to personal safety to asylum seekers in their countries of origin. Access to this information by the authorities can put in danger the people there mentioned. It is of utmost importance that all such material be returned byt the authorities without delay.

The police presented a court order dated 22 September 2010 authorising the search of the home of Mr Groysman. However, no court order has been presented authorising the search of the office premises. I am thus of the view that the legality of the search of the office premises of the Vinnytsya Human Rights Group must be investigated.

Lastly, I fear that Mr Groysman and the Group are being targeted due to their work in the field of human rights. As foreseen by the UN Human Rights Defenders Declaration, I consider it imperative that the Ukrainan authorities ensure that human rights defenders and those who promote human rights are able to carry out their activities unhindered.

For these reasons it is most necessary that all confiscated material be returned byt the authorities, the legality of the search be investigated and that the authorities ensure that Mr Groysman and the Group be able to carry out their work unimpeded.

I would be most grateful should you be able to forward these concerns to the Ukrainan authorities and inform me of their response.

Yours,

Heidi Hautala