{"id":6371,"date":"2026-04-25T11:29:29","date_gmt":"2026-04-25T08:29:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/na.sofard.dev\/?p=6371"},"modified":"2026-10-30T18:44:15","modified_gmt":"2026-10-30T16:44:15","slug":"from-dissidence-to-the-european-choice-marynovych-on-the-role-of-the-ukrainian-helsinki-group","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/na.sofard.dev\/en\/from-dissidence-to-the-european-choice-marynovych-on-the-role-of-the-ukrainian-helsinki-group\/","title":{"rendered":"From dissidence to the European choice: Marynovych on the role of the Ukrainian Helsinki Group"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Ukrainian Helsinki Group, as an independent initiative, emerged in Ukraine 50 years ago. In conditions of total control and fear. This was the beginning of the struggle of Ukrainians for democratic values \u200b\u200band against the Soviet system. In an interview with the Halychyna newspaper<\/a>, co-founder of the Helsinki Group, human rights activist, dissident, political prisoner Myroslav Marynovych shared his memories of the value and moral choice that faced each member of the UGG.<\/p>\n

“The founders of the Group were only two people – writer Mykola Rudenko and general Petro Grigorenko. It was in the conversation between them that the idea appeared that, along with the Moscow Helsinki group, a Ukrainian group should be created in Kyiv. Mykola Danylovych took up this case, bypassing those persons who, in his opinion, might dare to join such a group not authorized by the authorities. My friend Mykola Matusevych and I were invited to join the Group by Oksana Yakivna Meshko, who was already a member at that time. And when we signed the UGG Declaration, we thereby became one of its ten founding members,” recalls Myroslav Marynovych.<\/p>\n

\"Bez<\/p>\n

According to him, each member of the union automatically faced the threat of persecution by the Soviet authorities and even arrests, everyone understood the risks and everyone made their own choice – “security versus values.” Half a century later, Myroslav Marynovych confirms: “I thank God that I solved this dilemma in favor of values.”<\/p>\n

More and more new members joined the union, some announced their membership officially, and some remained on the terms of “informal membership. In total, the UGG had 41 participants. Twelve of them, such as Iryna Senyk, Stefania Shabatura, Vyacheslav Chornovil and Mykhailo Horyn, announced their entry into the Group while they were already in prison.<\/p>\n

“Listening to my story about working in the Group, Levko Lukyanenko suddenly asked: “Are you ready to go to prison? Do you understand how this will end? If you are not ready, then it is better to leave now.” I thought for a moment, and then confidently answered: “Yes, I’m ready.” These words came to my mind more than once later, during the investigation or imprisonment, when there was a lack of transfusion. How they disciplined me, who gave me inner strength! That’s what it means to ask the right question at the right time!”, – Marynovych shares his memories.
According to him, the activities of the Ukrainian Helsinki Group became an important and initial stage of Ukraine’s movement towards European choice and democracy. As it turned out, then the open struggle for human rights shook the communist government more than any underground activity.<\/p>\n

“The Ukrainian Helsinki Group finally approved what other Ukrainian “dissidents” had started, namely: Ukraine’s entry into the European civilization of human rights. Further enshrining the European choice of independent Ukraine in its Constitution only confirmed the foresight of the decision made by the members of the UGG.”<\/p>\n

In February 1977, UGG members Mykola Rudenko and Oleksa Tykhoi were arrested, and two months later, Marynovych. He recalls that the main thing for everyone was to stand up and defend the truth, contrary to Soviet lies. At that time, UGG members already had the support of the international community, the diaspora, and disseminated the documents of the Ukrainian group through foreign radio stations “Svoboda”, “Voice of America”, BBC and “German Wave”. Marynovych admits that he does not know whether he would have become a dissident if he had not been motivated by the work of the sixties, in particular the poetry of Mykola Vinganovskyi. For his generation, it was a time to make a difference.<\/p>\n

“At one time, in the 90s, I had the illusion that my generation was the last to pay dearly for its freedom. And I had no idea that the generations after us would one day be called generations of war. But I am even more grateful to Ukrainians younger than me, who have picked up the baton of the struggle for Ukraine and are now heroically facing the mighty empire until recently,” Myroslav Marynovych thinks.<\/p>\n

He called on modern society to mutual respect and trust: “Respect each other’s dignity, learn to trust each other and do not betray each other at the slightest favorable opportunity. And as Mahatma Gandhi said, “Be the change you want to make!”
It will be recalled that Myroslav Marynovych became the first laureate of the Stanis\u0142aw Vincenz Prize “For humanitarian service and development of regions” in 2018. Awarding of the award takes place annually within the framework of the International Forum Via Carpatia.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Ukrainian Helsinki Group, as an independent initiative, emerged in Ukraine 50 years ago. In conditions of total control and fear. This was the beginning of the struggle of Ukrainians for democratic values \u200b\u200band against the Soviet system. 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