<div dir="ltr"><h1 style="margin:0px 0px 10px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-variant-numeric:inherit;font-variant-east-asian:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:26px;line-height:32px;font-family:arial;vertical-align:baseline;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Ukraine's Rights Activists Ask Court To Ban Parliament Speaker From Signing Language Law</h1><div class="gmail-clear" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-variant-numeric:inherit;font-variant-east-asian:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:13px;line-height:0;font-family:arial;vertical-align:baseline;clear:both;color:rgb(0,0,0)"></div><p class="gmail-art_info_bar" style="margin:0px 0px 10px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-variant-numeric:inherit;font-variant-east-asian:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:13px;line-height:inherit;font-family:arial;vertical-align:baseline;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span class="gmail-article-date" style="margin:0px 10px 0px 0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;display:inline-block;color:rgb(136,136,136)"><span class="gmail-fa gmail-fa-user" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:inherit;line-height:1;font-family:FontAwesome;vertical-align:baseline;display:inline-block"></span> <a href="https://www.urdupoint.com/en/team/faizan-hashmi.html" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;text-decoration-line:none;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Faizan Hashmi</a></span> <span class="gmail-article-date" style="margin:0px 10px 0px 0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;display:inline-block;color:rgb(136,136,136)"><span class="gmail-fa gmail-fa-clock-o" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:inherit;line-height:1;font-family:FontAwesome;vertical-align:baseline;display:inline-block"></span> 3 days ago</span> <span class="gmail-article-date" style="margin:0px 10px 0px 0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;display:inline-block;color:rgb(136,136,136)"><span class="gmail-fa gmail-fa-calendar-o" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:inherit;line-height:1;font-family:FontAwesome;vertical-align:baseline;display:inline-block"></span> Fri 10th May 2019 | 10:16 PM</span></p><div class="gmail-clear" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-variant-numeric:inherit;font-variant-east-asian:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:13px;line-height:0;font-family:arial;vertical-align:baseline;clear:both;color:rgb(0,0,0)"></div><img src="https://photo-cdn.urdupoint.com/media/2019/05/_3/730x425/pic_1557508612.jpg" alt="Ukraine's Rights Activists Ask Court to Ban Parliament Speaker From Signing Language Law" style="transition-duration: 0.5s; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 100%; border-radius: 5px; box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="gmail-detail_txt" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-variant-numeric:inherit;font-variant-east-asian:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:17px;line-height:26px;font-family:arial;vertical-align:baseline;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><h2 style="margin:0px 0px 15px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:17px;line-height:24px;font-family:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;text-align:justify">The Kiev-based non-governmental organization, the Irina Berezhnaya Institute of Legal Policy and Social Protection, has appealed to court to ban the parliament speaker from signing a newly adopted law on the Ukrainian language, according to the Kiev District Administrative Court</h2><div align="center" style="margin:0px auto;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;line-height:26px;font-family:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;text-align:center"><div id="gmail-div-gpt-ad-outstream" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;line-height:26px;font-family:inherit;vertical-align:baseline"><div id="gmail-google_ads_iframe_/21678054/urdupoint_outstream_0__container__" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0pt none;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;line-height:26px;font-family:inherit;vertical-align:baseline"></div></div><div class="gmail-teads-adCall" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;line-height:26px;font-family:inherit;vertical-align:baseline"></div><div id="gmail-div-gpt-ad-1x1" align="center" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;line-height:26px;font-family:inherit;vertical-align:baseline"><div id="gmail-google_ads_iframe_/21678054/up_1x1_0__container__" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0pt none;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;line-height:26px;font-family:inherit;vertical-align:baseline"></div></div></div><div class="gmail-center_desktop" style="margin:0px 15px 10px 0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;line-height:26px;font-family:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;float:left"><div class="gmail-ac gmail-mb15 gmail-mt15" style="margin:15px 0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;line-height:26px;font-family:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;text-align:center"><div class="gmail-ad_stick_wrap" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;line-height:26px;font-family:inherit;vertical-align:baseline"><div class="gmail-ad_stick_inner" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;line-height:26px;font-family:inherit;vertical-align:baseline"><div id="gmail-div-gpt-ad-1531947055150-0" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;line-height:26px;font-family:inherit;vertical-align:baseline"><div id="gmail-google_ads_iframe_/21678054/up-v2/center_0__container__" style="margin:auto;padding:0px;border:0pt none;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;line-height:26px;font-family:inherit;vertical-align:baseline"></div></div></div></div></div></div>KIEV (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th May, 2019) The Kiev-based non-governmental organization, the Irina Berezhnaya Institute of Legal Policy and Social Protection, has appealed to <a target="_blank" class="gmail-txt_link" href="https://www.urdupoint.com/en/latest-news/court.html" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;text-decoration-line:none;color:rgb(0,0,0)">court</a> to ban the <a target="_blank" class="gmail-txt_link" href="https://www.urdupoint.com/en/latest-news/parliament.html" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;text-decoration-line:none;color:rgb(0,0,0)">parliament</a> speaker <a target="_blank" class="gmail-txt_link" href="https://www.urdupoint.com/en/latest-news/from.html" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;text-decoration-line:none;color:rgb(0,0,0)">from</a> signing a newly adopted law on the Ukrainian language, according to the <a target="_blank" class="gmail-txt_link" href="https://www.urdupoint.com/en/latest-news/kiev.html" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;text-decoration-line:none;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Kiev</a> District Administrative <a target="_blank" class="gmail-txt_link" href="https://www.urdupoint.com/en/latest-news/court.html" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;text-decoration-line:none;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Court</a>.<p style="margin:0px 0px 10px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;line-height:26px;font-family:inherit;vertical-align:baseline"></p><p style="margin:0px 0px 10px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;line-height:26px;font-family:inherit;vertical-align:baseline">On <a target="_blank" class="gmail-txt_link" href="https://www.urdupoint.com/en/latest-news/april.html" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;text-decoration-line:none;color:rgb(0,0,0)">April</a> 25, the Ukrainian <a target="_blank" class="gmail-txt_link" href="https://www.urdupoint.com/en/latest-news/parliament.html" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;text-decoration-line:none;color:rgb(0,0,0)">parliament</a> adopted the law on the state language. The legislation provides for the use of the Ukrainian language in almost <a target="_blank" class="gmail-txt_link" href="https://www.urdupoint.com/en/latest-news/all.html" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;text-decoration-line:none;color:rgb(0,0,0)">all</a> spheres of life. It should become mandatory for state authorities and local governments, <a target="_blank" class="gmail-txt_link" href="https://www.urdupoint.com/en/latest-news/all.html" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;text-decoration-line:none;color:rgb(0,0,0)">all</a> educational institutions, hospitals and the service sector. The piece of legislation is yet to be signed by the speaker and the president.</p><p style="margin:0px 0px 10px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;line-height:26px;font-family:inherit;vertical-align:baseline">"The <a target="_blank" class="gmail-txt_link" href="https://www.urdupoint.com/en/latest-news/kiev.html" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;text-decoration-line:none;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Kiev</a> District Administrative <a target="_blank" class="gmail-txt_link" href="https://www.urdupoint.com/en/latest-news/court.html" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;text-decoration-line:none;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Court</a> received an application for injunctive relief <a target="_blank" class="gmail-txt_link" href="https://www.urdupoint.com/en/latest-news/from.html" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;text-decoration-line:none;color:rgb(0,0,0)">from</a> the Institute of Legal Policy and Social Protection [named] after Irina Berezhnaya against Verkhovna Rada Speaker Andriy Parubiy that seeks to ban him <a target="_blank" class="gmail-txt_link" href="https://www.urdupoint.com/en/latest-news/from.html" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;text-decoration-line:none;color:rgb(0,0,0)">from</a> signing <a target="_blank" class="gmail-txt_link" href="https://www.urdupoint.com/en/latest-news/ukraine.html" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;text-decoration-line:none;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Ukraine</a>'s law 'On ensuring the functioning of Ukrainian as the state language,'" the <a target="_blank" class="gmail-txt_link" href="https://www.urdupoint.com/en/latest-news/court.html" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;text-decoration-line:none;color:rgb(0,0,0)">court</a> said in a statement.</p><p style="margin:0px 0px 10px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;line-height:26px;font-family:inherit;vertical-align:baseline"></p><p style="margin:0px 0px 10px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;line-height:26px;font-family:inherit;vertical-align:baseline">The <a target="_blank" class="gmail-txt_link" href="https://www.urdupoint.com/en/latest-news/court.html" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;text-decoration-line:none;color:rgb(0,0,0)">court</a> specified that it was currently considering whether there were legal grounds for such a ban.</p><p style="margin:0px 0px 10px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;line-height:26px;font-family:inherit;vertical-align:baseline">Earlier, <a target="_blank" class="gmail-txt_link" href="https://www.urdupoint.com/en/latest-news/russia.html" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;text-decoration-line:none;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Russia</a>'s envoy to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in <a target="_blank" class="gmail-txt_link" href="https://www.urdupoint.com/en/latest-news/europe.html" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;text-decoration-line:none;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Europe</a>, Alexander Lukashevich, has harshly criticized the law. According to him, Ukrainians have been de facto divided into Ukrainian-speaking citizens and "outcasts," whose opportunities to study, receive healthcare and other social services while using native language will be significantly limited.</p><p style="margin:0px 0px 10px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;line-height:26px;font-family:inherit;vertical-align:baseline">Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in turn, has noted that the law provides for exceptions for <a target="_blank" class="gmail-txt_link" href="https://www.urdupoint.com/dictionary/" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;text-decoration-line:none;color:rgb(0,0,0)">English</a> and other EU languages, saying that "this means that the only target of the <a target="_blank" class="gmail-txt_link" href="https://www.urdupoint.com/en/latest-news/attack.html" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;text-decoration-line:none;color:rgb(0,0,0)">attack</a> is the <a target="_blank" class="gmail-txt_link" href="https://www.urdupoint.com/en/latest-news/russia.html" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;text-decoration-line:none;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Russian</a> language, which is spoken by the vast majority of Ukrainian nationals," and which is native for many of them.</p></div><div><br></div>-- <br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature">=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+<br><br> Harold F. Schiffman<br><br>Professor Emeritus of <br> Dravidian Linguistics and Culture <br>Dept. of South Asia Studies                     <br>University of Pennsylvania<br>Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305<br><br>Phone:  (215) 898-7475<br>Fax:  (215) 573-2138                                      <br><br>Email:  <a href="mailto:haroldfs@gmail.com" target="_blank">haroldfs@gmail.com</a><br><a href="http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/" target="_blank">http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/</a>    <br><br>-------------------------------------------------</div></div>