On the penultimate weekend of October, Ukraine will hold local elections, which can be ultimately considered a political test for the first year of Volodymyr Zelensky’s rule. How has Ukrainian politics changed after the 2019 complete political reset?

The actor, comedian and showman received an unprecedented victory in the Ukrainian presidential election (in the second round, Volodymyr Zelensky won with 73.22% of the vote, and his rival Petro Poroshenko got 24.45%), and soon after that the pro-presidential political party “Servant of the People” was able to bring 254 out of 420 MPs’ to the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine Parliament), and independently form a parliamentary majority and the government.

Volodymyr Zelensky is the youngest president in the history of Ukraine. His election campaign was based on progressive and liberal slogans, which gave hope for the continuation of pro-European and liberal-democratic reforms launched during Petro Poroshenko’s presidency. Although Volodymyr Zelensky neither explained nor gave promises on legislative regulation of same-sex marriages/partnerships during the election, his promises to legalize the land market and gambling sector created the illusion of hope for a liberalization policy on all other issues for progressive Ukrainian society and LGBTQ-community.

So how did it happen that instead of continuing the course of European integration, we are witnessing the drafting of new legislation banning "homosexual propaganda", borrowed  from Russian laws by deputies of the pro-presidential “Servant of the People”?

# Civil partnership: Not getting any better

Recognition of same-sex families in Ukraine is long overdue. Moreover, we are witnessing an almost schizophrenic situation in which the state of Ukraine recognizes the same-sex marriages/partnerships of foreign diplomats (the relevant international agreement was ratified by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in March 2016 within the Association with EU), but does not recognize or authorize same-sex marriages and partnerships for their own citizens. For example: an employee of any diplomatic institution/organization can provide consent in the event of a medical emergency for his or her partner.  Ukrainians in a similar situation would simply not be permitted, despite the constitution of Ukraine's guarantee of an equal and non-discriminatory attitude towards all persons with its territory.

Although the Constitution of Ukraine clearly states that marriage is possible only between a man and a woman, the institution of civil partnership could regulate all property and other issues between same-sex couples and bridge the legislative gap that leaves thousands of same-sex couples in a gray legal zone (in particular, they cannot currently give inheritance to their partners, obtain a mortgage together, have joint custody of a child, enjoy spousal privilege, etc.).

Despite the fact that Ukraine has a number of international commitments and recommendations regarding the rights of same-sex families (see the UN Human Rights Council Report), and despite the fact that in 2015 the government voted for the Human Rights Action Plan (which contained the obligation for the Ministry of Justice to develop and submit for consideration a bill on civil partnerships and the introduction of criminal penalties for hate crimes - including against LGBTQ) the relevant provisions of the Action Plan have never been implemented.

In 2018, the Ministry of Justice even issued an official statement that it is not drafting and does not plan to draft any bills to legalize same-sex partnerships.

# Libertarian or populist? 

Initially, Volodymyr Zelensky looked like a young and progressive presidential candidate, and one of the factors in Zelensky’s victory in the 2019 presidential election was his successful communication with young people, in particular, he became the first candidate to use Instagram as a platform for communicating with voters. Compared to the cold press releases of other politicians, his communication style inspired hope for the rapid Europeanization and liberalization of Ukraine.

The question of whether the “Servant of the People” platform supports the LGBTQ community, and the liberalization of legislation on same-sex families has remained unclear for a long time. At his first press conference as president in October 2019, Zelensky even gave a  small speech stating that all citizens of Ukraine “...can freely choose their language, religion, sexual orientation” and asked that [they] “leave those people [LGBTQ community] alone for God’s sake”. Unfortunately, the promise of hope encapsulated in his statement during the press conference turned out to be completely empty.

In 2016 the Ministry (Department) of Justice created the Human Rights Directorate, which was tasked with the responsibility of coordinating the national human rights strategy, as well as development of legislation on human rights and European integration.  In February 2020, the Ukrainian government made the decision to close the Human Rights Directorate.  Three months later, in May 2020, the Minister of Justice stated that human rights was no longer a priority of the Ministry.

At the same time, the pro-presidential party began changing its ideology, as before the parliamentary elections the party used the term “libertarian party”, and after entering the parliament the MPs’ of the “Servant of the People” party noted that their ideology was somewhere between liberalism and socialism. But already in February 2020, at the last congress, the party voted for the “center ideology”. Such divergent and inconsistent movements are chaotic.  The party’s program can be summed up by the well-known Ukrainian phrase “for all that is good against all that is bad”.

# Hypocritical Liberals

As soon as “Servant of the People” MPs’ got to the Verkhovna Rada they made a sharp 180-degree turn. The first wake-up call was the creation of the parliamentary group “Values. Dignity. Family” initiated by Svyatoslav Yurash – MP from the “Servant of the People” party and Oleh Voloshyn, an MP from the “OPPOSITION PLATFORM - FOR LIFE” party. In his interviews, Yurash explained that the association would oppose same-sex marriages and LGBTQ adoption rights.

In April 2020 bill No. 3316 was registered in parliament to establish criminal penalties for hate crimes.

Later in the same month Voloshyn registered bill No. 3316-1 which anticipates the establishment of criminal liability for “public calls [for] and/or propaganda [advodating the refusal] to have children, destroying the institution of the family, extramarital and unnatural sexual relations and debauchery" (this draft bill was rejected by the parliament on September 1, 2020). At the same time the Law enforcement committee with 13 votes to 7 voted for rejection of bill No.3316.

On July 22, people’s deputies Georgii Mazurashu and Olena Lys from the Servant of the People registered a new draft bill No.3917, which envisages establishing administrative responsibility for “homosexual and transgenderism propaganda”. It provides a fine for homosexual propaganda in the amount of 136,000 UAH (equivalent to $5,000). By a strange coincidence, the text of the draft bill is an almost literal translation of its Russian analogue.

It should be noted that for the first time in the local elections in October 2020, 5 open LGBTQ candidates are running, but none of them represents the pro-government Servant of the People party.

# Ukrainian liberalism with Russian odor

The political situation in Ukraine is reminiscent of the famous Soviet saying: “There is no sex in the USSR” -  i.e. There is no LGBTQ in Ukrainian libertarianism. However, there is a room for Russian propaganda (see "HOW RUSSIA EXPORTS HOMOPHOBIA INTO UKRAINE"), intolerance and hate crimes.

In particular, the monitoring of attacks on activists published in October 2020, recorded 74 cases. LGBTQ activists are at the highest risk and are most often verbally and physically attacked. For example, during the 2020 Pride in Odessa, 16 participants of the human rights protest were attacked.

Despite some Ukrainian progress since Euromaidan in 2015/16 (including a change in the labor code and a ban on discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation/gender identity, simplification of the sex reassignment procedure, and change of documents for transgender people) we are witnessing a clear trend towards curtailment of human rights policies for the LGBTQ community. Taking into account recent events in Poland with homophobic initiatives of “LGBTQ-free zones”, Ukraine found itself surrounded by homophobic and transphobic countries. And this is another wake-up call for Ukrainian LGBTQ people, who, are battling for their rights, while at the same time running on an escalator, moving in the opposite direction.
 
**Bogdan Globa** — human rights and LGBTQ activist, leader, and co-founder of QUA - LGBTQ UKRAINIANS IN AMERICA (based in Washington, D.C.), first openly gay person to address the Ukrainian Parliament.

В останню неділю жовтня в Україні відбулися вибори до місцевих органів влади, які, зрештою, можна назвати політичним тестом для першого року правління Володимира Зеленського. Яким же чином змінилась українська політика після повного політичного перезавантаження в 2019 році?

Актор, комік та шоумен отримав безпрецендентну для України перемогу на президентських виборах (у другому турі Володимир Зеленський набрав 73,22 % голосів, а його опонент Петро Порошенко - 24,45 %). Згодом на виборах до парламенту президентська політична партія Слуга народу змогла провести до Верховної Ради 254 народні депутати і самостійно сформувати парламентську більшість та уряд.

Володимир Зеленський - наймолодший президент в історії України. Його передвиборча кампанія була побудована на прогресивних та ліберальних ідеях, які сигналізували про продовження проєвропейських та ліберально-демократичних реформ, розпочатих під час президентства Петра Порошенка. І хоча Зеленський під час виборів жодного разу не озвучував свою позицію щодо законодавчого врегулювання питання одностатевих шлюбів\партнерств, його обіцянки з легалізації ринку землі та грального бізнесу тим самим давали надію прогресивному українському суспільству та ЛГБТК-спільноті, створивши ілюзію лібералізаційного політика. 

Активіст і засновник асоціації ЛГБТК-українів в США Богдан Глоба розповідає, чому замість продовження курсу на європейську інтеграцію ми є свідками законопроєктів щодо заборони пропаганди гомосексуальності, переписаних з російських законів депутатами президентської партії Слуга народу?  


# Цивільне партнерство: заборонити неможливо дозволити

Врегулювання та визнання одностатевих сімей в Україні назріло вже давно. Ба більше, ми є свідками майже шизофренічної ситуації, коли держава Україна визнає одностатеві шлюби/партнерства іноземних громадян (відповідну міжнародну угоду Верховна Рада України ратифікувала в березні 2016 року в рамках Асоціації з ЄС), але не визнає та не дозволяє одностатеві шлюби і партнерства для своїх громадян. І хоча Конституція України гарантує однакове й антидискримінаційне ставлення до всіх осіб на території держави, та ситуація така, що наразі іноземний громадянин, працівник будь-якої дипломатичної установи чи організації може потрапити в реанімацію до свого партнера, а ось українця/ку в аналогічній ситуації туди просто не допустять. 

Відповідно до Конституції України шлюб можливий лише між чоловіком та жінкою, та інститут цивільного партнерства міг би врегулювати всі майнові та інші питання одностатевих пар і, зрештою, виправити законодавчу прогалину, через яку тисячі одностатевих пар залишаються в сірій юридичній зоні (зокрема, не можуть передати спадок своєму партнеру/ці, разом оформити іпотеку або мати спільні права на дитину і т.д.). 

Попри те, що Україна має цілу низку міжнародних зобов'язань та рекомендацій щодо врегулювання прав одностатевих сімей (зокрема, такі рекомендації містяться у звіті Комісії з прав людини ООН), і незважаючи на те, що в 2015 році уряд проголосував за План дій з прав людини, що містив зобов'язання Міністерства юстиції розробити та подати на розгляд законопроєкт про цивільні партнерства та впровадження кримінального покарання за  злочини на ґрунті ненависті, відповідні положення плану дій так ніколи і не були виконанні. 

У 2018 році Міністерство юстиції навіть опублікувало офіційну заяву, що воно не розробляє та не планує розробляти будь-які законопроєкти з легалізації одностатевих партнерств. 


# Лібертаріанець чи популіст? 

Безперечно, Володимир Зеленський виглядав, як молодий і прогресивний кандидат в президенти, а одним із факторів перемоги Зеленського стало його порозуміння з молоддю – він, зокрема, був першим, хто почав використовувати Instagram як майданчик для спілкування з виборцями. На фоні сухих прес-релізів решти політиків це все породжувало сподівання на швидку європеїзацію та лібералізацію України. 

Підтримка ЛГБТК-спільноти та лібералізація законодавства щодо одностатевих сімей як частина програми лібертаріанства партії “Слуга народу” давно під питанням. На своїй першій пресконференції в якості президента у жовтні 2019 року Зеленський навіть зробив невеликий спіч, де він сказав, що кожен громадянин України “може вільно обирати мову, релігію, сексуальну орієнтацію” і попросив “залишити в спокої ЛГБТ-спільноту”. На жаль, така заява першої особи держави виявилася абсолютно порожньою.

У лютому 2020 року український уряд ліквідував директорат з прав людини Міністерства юстиції. Це був новий департамент юстиції (створений у 2016 році), який, зокрема, відповідав за координацію національної стратегії з прав людини та займався розробкою законодавства з прав людини та європейської інтеграції. У травні 2020 року на засіданні Комітету з прав людини міністр юстиції заявив, що питання прав людини не є пріоритетним у діяльності Міністерства.  

Поряд з цим партія президента змінює свою ідеологію, оскільки термін “лібертаріанська партія” вони використовували ще до парламентських виборів. Втім, після проходження в Раду “Слуги народу” уточнили, що їхня ідеологія перебуває десь між лібералізмом та соціалізмом. Та вже в лютому 2020 року на крайньому з'їзді партія проголосувала за “центриську ідеологію”. Такі непослідовні рухи нагадують хаотичне сіпання, а програму партії можна охарактеризувати відомим українським висловом “за все хороше проти всього поганого.”.  

# Ліберальні антиліберали

Вишенькою на торті є перевзування в повітрі депутатів “Слуги народу” у Верховній Раді. Першим тривожним дзвіночком стало створення міжфракційного депутатського об’єднання “Цінності. Гідність. Родина”, ініційованого депутатом Святославом Юрашем (народний депутат від Слуг наролду). У своїх інтерв'ю він пояснив, що це об'єднання буде протистояти одностатевим шлюбам і виступати проти права на усиновлення дітей ЛГБТК-громадянами. 

Співініціатором цього об'єднання став депутат від партії “Опозиційна Платформа - За Життя" Олег Волошин. У квітні 2020 року він зареєстрував законопроєкт №3316-1, який передбачає встановлення кримінальної відповідальності за “публічні заклики та/або пропаганду відмови від народження дітей, руйнування інституту сім’ї, позашлюбних і протиприродних статевих відносин та розпусти” (цей законопроєкт був знятий з розгляду парламентом 1 вересня 2020 року).

Водночас Комітет з питань правоохоронної діяльності 13 голосами з 20 проголосував за відхилення законопроєкту №3316 та альтернативних, який пропонував встановити кримінальну відповідальність за злочини на ґрунті ненависті, що є вимогою угоди про асоціацію України та ЄС та зобов'язанням України по ряду інших міжнародних документів. 

22 липня народні депутати Георгій Мазурашу та Олена Лис від фракції “Слуга народу” зареєстрували новий законопроєкт №3917, яким пропонують встановити адміністративну відповідальність за “пропаганду гомосексуалізму та трансгендеризму”. Він передбачає штраф за пропаганду гомосексуалізму в розмірі 136 тисяч гривень. За дивним збігом обставин текст законопроєкту є майже дослівним перекладом російського аналогу.

Варто зазначити, що вперше на місцевих виборах України в жовтні 2020 року балатувалося 5 відкритих ЛГБТК-кандидатів, але жоден\на з них не представляв провладну партію “Слуга народу”.   

# Український лібералізм з російським душком

Політична ситуація в Україні нагадує відомий радянський вислів: “В СССР сексу немає”, тобто в українському лібертаріанстві ЛГБТК немає. Втім, є місце для російської пропаганди (Як росія імпортує гомофобію в україну - Джорштаун PPR) , нетерпимості та злочинів на ґрунті ненависті. 

Зокрема, в опублікованому у жовтні моніторингу нападів зафіксували 74 напади на активістів. ЛГБТК активісти та союзники перебувають у найбільш ризикованій групі та найчастіше піддаються нападам і фізичним атакам. Наприклад, під час проведення прайду-2020 в Одесі постраждало одразу 16 учасників правозахисного протесту. А зрив та фізичні напади на ЛГБТК чи феміністичні культурні заходи або прайд марші стили чимось буденним в українському суспільстві. 

Попри певний український прогрес після Євромайдану (2015-16 рр), зокрема зміни трудового кодексу і запровадження заборони дискримінації на підставі сексуальної орієнтації та ґендерної ідентичності, спрощення процедури корекції статі та зміни документів для трансґендерних людей, ми є свідками чіткої тенденції згортання політики дотримання прав людини для ЛГБТК-спільноти. 

Беручи до уваги останні події у Польщі з гомофобними ініціативами “вільних від ЛГБТК зон”, криміналізації ЛГБТК в Росії та Білорусії, Україна опинилася в оточенні гомофобних та трансфобних країн. І це ще один тривожний дзвіночок для українських ЛГБТК та Європи, російська анти ЛГБТК пропаганда та цілеспрямоване розпалювання ворожнечі проти меншин втягує Україну в російській порядок денний, та чимдалі від Євроатлантичного проєкту.

Лібертаріанці з партії “Слуг народу” в швидкості перевзування з ліберальної ідеології в консервативну навіть перевершили БПП, якому знадобилось 3 роки для зміни р з про Європейської риторики на “Армія.Віра.Мова”. Яка ж вартість пірнання в рускій мір та російських традиційних цінностей, під проводом партії “Слуга народу”, для українського суспільства і українського проєкту нам ще доведеться дослідити. 

**Богдан Глоба**, ЛГБТК активіст, правозахисник, засновник асоціації ЛГБТК українців в США - QUA, Вашингтон ДС, США. 


Alina Shubska

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Ukraine: The liberal honeymoon for LGBTQ is over.

Лібертаріанство по-українськи: Букетно-цукерковий період для ЛГБТК завершився

The United States’ political asylum system is in a deep coma. Despite the efforts of several state actors to improve the system, the problem is spiraling out of control. According to [the latest information](https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/cisomb/cisomb_2019-annual-report-to-congress.pdf) from Homeland Security, the asylum applications backlog (i.e. - all cases that have not been considered as of February 2018) reached more than 350 thousand cases. In June 2020 local USCIS offices started holding interviews again after a lengthy closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine lockdowns. However, approximately 9,000 to 12,000 cases lost the opportunity for their interviews in 2020. The capacity to process asylum applications is approximately 2,000 to 4,000 interviews per month, which is between 24,000 and 48,000 applications per year. To put this in perspective: in 2018, 105,472 asylum cases were submitted.

In 2020, the Trump administration initiated a series of changes to the asylum process that had a significant impact on both existing asylum seekers and new applicants. In July 2020, the Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman published an annual report that includes a detailed analysis of the current state of political asylum, and a summary of innovations. We have prepared for you a selection of the important items that have already been implemented or are expected to be implemented in the near future. 

## Current situation and statistics. 

The problems in the political asylum system are not new. For example, in late 2012, the number of cases in the backlog reached 15,526, and in 2020 this figure exceeded 350,135 cases. If extraordinary measures or legislative changes are not made, most of these cases will not be considered.

![Screen Shot 2020-10-03 at 12.25.14 PM](https://api.qua.community/uploads/Screen_Shot_2020-10-03_at_12.25.14_PM_7041074f0c.png)

### USCIS statistics highlights several trends:  
 
- The total number of applications for political asylum in the United States is gradually declining (115,356 in 2016; 139,777 in 2017; 105,472 in 2018; **60,698 in 2019**; statistics are available from January through September).
- The total number of backlogged cases is growing steadily (318,624 cases in March 2018; 350,135 cases in early 2020).
 - The monthly number of scheduled interviews is gradually declining - 6,011 interviews were conducted in October 2018, but only 2,799 interviews were conducted in September 2019.
- The total number of approved asylum cases is growing. 26,509 were approved in 2017 and 38,687 cases (a 46% increase) were approved in 2018.
 - The number of cases approved by UCSIS increased by 61%, and the number approved by judges increased by 24%.

![Screen Shot 2020-10-03 at 12.46.55 PM](https://api.qua.community/uploads/Screen_Shot_2020-10-03_at_12.46.55_PM_f57d73351b.png)

It should also be noted that the United States has experienced a steady uptick in the number of approved asylum cases.  In 1990 the United States approved 8,472 political asylum cases and **38,687 cases were approved in 2018**.

![Screen Shot 2020-10-03 at 12.52.19 PM](https://api.qua.community/uploads/Screen_Shot_2020-10-03_at_12.52.19_PM_62bcdf3e29.png)

## What has changed for asylum seekers in 2020:

One of the significant changes for asylum seekers was a change in [the rules for obtaining and renewing employment authorization](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/06/26/2020-13544/asylum-application-interview-and-employment-authorization-for-applicants). If you submitted an Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal after August 25, 2020, and you were not summoned for an interview within **365 calendar days**, you have the right to apply for Employment Authorization. To put this in perspective, before August 25, 2020, asylum seekers could apply for employment authorization 180 calendar days after the application for political asylum, subject to a waiting period for an interview date. **USCIS extends the wait time before an asylum applicant can apply for employment authorization from 150 days to 365 calendar days.**

The second significant change was the removal of the deadline for application consideration and the issuance of the card. The previous rule set 30 days for the deadline for consideration and 90 days for the issuance of the card. Under the new procedure, USCIS does [not have a deadline for processing the application](https://www.uscis.gov/news/news-releases/uscis-provides-greater-flexibility-in-processing-work-authorization-requests-for-asylum-applicants), which is likely to lead to the formation of a line of applicants for political asylum to obtain or renew the employment authorization.

The procedure for applying for an extension of employment authorization has also been changed, and political asylum applicants awaiting an interview date may submit a petition for an extension of the authorization 180 calendar days before its expiration (*previous rule: 90 days*). After the authorization expiration date, it is automatically extended for 180 calendar days, provided that the applicant has submitted a petition for an extension.
For more detailed and up-to-date information, as well as an updated employment authorization petition, use this official page: [www.uscis.gov/i-765](https://www.uscis.gov/i-765)

**New petition fees have also been set, including: **
- $50.00 fee for the I-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal
- $550.00 fee for the Application for Employment Authorization

**NB! Note that USCIS has updated the I-765 and I-589 forms.** When submitting the relevant forms, download the current forms following the above links from [the official USCIS website](https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/refugees-and-asylum/asylum).

## COVID 2019 interview conditions

In connection with the COVID-19 pandemic, the USCIS political asylum offices changed the interview procedure, in particular:
- The applicant will be in a separate room and will talk to the officer via video;
- The applicant’s lawyer will also be in a separate room and will be able to observe the interview;
- The applicant cannot bring their own interpreter for an interview if they are unable to proceed in English. USCIS will provide asylum applicants with a free interpreter (interpretation is available in 47 languages). The temporary rule is valid until March 22, 2021. You can find the list of languages ​​available for interpretation [following the link](https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/refugees-and-asylum/asylum/temporary-final-rule-asylum-interview-interpreter-requirement-modification-due-to-covid-19).

In this case, if you came for the interview at the specified time, and the interpreter of the requested language is not available – your interview will be shifted to another date. If you don’t speak conversational English and refuse a USCIS interpreter, your case will be referred to an immigration court. If your language is not listed you can bring your own interpreter.

## 2021 Trends and innovations. 

One of the important global initiatives is the launch of the **Asylum Vetting Center (AVC)**. The idea of ​​creating a special national center for checking applicants for political asylum arose in 2015 as part of a U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) at the request of the US Congress, full report can be found [following this link](https://www.gao.gov/assets/680/673941.pdf). 

AVC is slated for launch in March 2021 and will be the main recipient of political asylum petitions [I-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal](https://www.uscis.gov/i-589). Their staff will include 250 federal employees, 100 contractors, and 40 political asylum officers. This center will replace the Nebraska Service Center (NSC), **and the AVC functionality will include:**
- Initial processing of I-589, pre-screening of applicants for public safety and national security threats (for example, the presence of the applicant in international databases of criminals or terrorists);
- Support for national fraud investigations. In particular, reviewing text analytical data from asylum filings to identify national fraud trends and patterns, etc.
- Coordination of national backlog reduction efforts, centralizing management of all files for backlogged cases, automation of the relevant process.  

When AVC is running at full capacity, the part of the functions from the local officers from the USCIS will be transferred to the AVC center. In particular, security screening of the applicant will be conducted before the interview, and the relevant emigration officer will already have the results of such screening at the time of the interview.

AVC will also analyze the language in all applications (it is also anticipated that the I-589 petition will be submitted electronically through a user account by either the applicant or an authorized person) and identify similar patterns with other applications. That is, if your story matches other stories, the system will automatically mark a special investigation of your story/case.

Also, AVC will address fraud concerns after political asylum has been granted. In particular, there will be stricter electronic control over people who have been granted political asylum, for example, if you have visited the country you fled from for political asylum in the US or if you have applied as an LGBTQ representative and later had heterosexual marriage - such cases will be monitored and investigated. All these cases will get an appropriate response in accordance with the US Criminal Code. 

## Summary:
In the process of acquiring political asylum in the United States there are several trends:

- The total number of people on the backlog is growing rapidly. In fact, the backlog is very big and this problem cannot be solved without implementing special measures.  Most applicants have no chance of being interviewed. At the moment, solving the problem for the backlog and setting up the interview system requires extraordinary measures.
- The USCIS office is working to digitize and automate processes. New mechanisms to combat possible abuses of the political asylum system may potentially help honest applicants.

## Tips and useful resources for asylum applicants:

If you are an asylum applicant and are waiting for an interview, or in the process of preparing a package of documents, have a look at the resources we recommend you to use:

1. [USCIS website]( https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/refugees-and-asylum/asylum).  Here you will find all application forms (forms for political asylum and employment authorization), all relevant information, news, and updates. 


2. If you submitted the I-589 form and got your alien number **sign up** [for your account](https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/showSplash.do) do where you can follow up all the important milestones of your case.  


3. You can find your USCIS asylum office by entering your ZIP code [following the link](https://egov.uscis.gov/office-locator/?action=offices.type&OfficeLocator.office_type=ZSY#/asy)


4. If you have been waiting a long time for an interview, you can try to get help from your Senator or Representative. To do this, find the appropriate web page of your Congress Representative and write the petition. For example, New Yorkers can petition for support of their asylum cases through Senator Kirsten Gillibrand by [following this link](https://www.gillibrand.senate.gov/help/help-for-new-yorkers/request)


5. If you have been in the backlog for a long time, you may try to submit a special request for an expedited interview procedure. You need to meet the social criteria for your request to be approved.  You can learn more about the procedure for these requests by  [following this link](https://www.uscis.gov/forms/forms-information/how-to-make-an-expedite-request). 


6. Additional resources for information and news [can be viewed on the blog](https://www.asylumist.com/)


7. For legal information and clarification, visit the website of [Human Rights First](https://www.humanrightsfirst.org/asylum)


1567785321232

US political asylum 2020 – what you need to know

Отримання політичного притулку в США у 2020 році: що потрібно знати?

The Hon. Mr. Eliot L. Engel
Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs
United States House of Representatives

The Hon. Ms. Marcia Carolyn Kaptur
Co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus
United States House of Representatives

Dear Mr. Engel and Ms. Kaptur:

 As you know, the Republic of Belarus held its presidential election on August 9, 2020. Unsurprisingly, the election has further proved the Lukashenka regime’s disregard for democratic values and free and fair elections. The opposition candidate Tikhanovskaya has left the country for her own safety. For several days now, we have watched demonstrations fill Belarusian streets, and hundreds of videos on social media from Minsk and other major cities have shown how police are arresting and using violence against peaceful demonstrators.

In addition, several Ukrainian journalists and civil rights activists have been arrested, including Ukrainian activists of Euromaidan SOS Konstantin Reutski and Yevhenii Vasyliev.

The situation in Belarus is critically important for all Eastern Europe as well as for Ukraine’s long-term national security. Ukraine and Belarus share over 670 miles of the border, which Russia could potentially exploit against Ukraine.

We believe that the United States can and should take a more proactive stance, in solidarity with the peaceful protests in the Republic of Belarus, by providing its people and activists more support while taking positive diplomatic actions.

In 2013, when Euromaidan and the Revolution of Dignity began in Kyiv, Ukraine, Western countries, the European Union and the US, had long expressed concern about the situation in Ukraine but took no more meaningful action. As a result, hundreds of people lost their lives. We believe that Western countries should learn from that Ukrainian example and more proactively support the Belarusian people. For example, sanctions should be imposed as soon as possible, in addition to more diplomatic actions.

QUA - LGBTQ Ukrainians in America, as an American grassroots LGBTQ organization, strongly supports our Belarusian brothers and sisters. We see the similarity of events in Belarus and on Euromaidan of 2013-14 in Ukraine and believe the entire democratic world must take action now before more innocent people are killed.

Sincerely,

Bogdan Globa
President


Open letter to Representatives Eliot L. Engel and Marcia Carolyn Kaptur

The open letter to Representatives Eliot L. Engel and Marcia Carolyn Kaptur

In 2020, for the first time in more than 50 years of American Pride history, all human rights and cultural LGBTQ marches were canceled due to…. But you and I know that human rights for LGBTQ people are not only and not so much about marches (although marches and street protests are an integral part of our cultures).  It's about our visibility, our pride in being ourselves - in response to millennia of oppression, discrimination, murder, and persecution.

Last year we organized the first Ukrainian column at the New York Pride, in 2020 we hoped to walk the streets of Washington and San Francisco, and although the physical march will not take place - we are walking online!
So, welcome to our special project - [ONLINE PRIDE 2020](https://qua.community/virtual-pride). You will meet 15 brave heroes and heroines! Ukrainian men and women and our friends who emigrated to the United States. They have happy and cool families, raise their children, remember their Ukrainian roots and readily support the development of the Ukrainian LGBTQ community in the United States.

**Who are they?**
These are boys and girls, women and men, singles and happy couples, smiling families whom America allowed to get married and raise little Americans on their fertile land.
Follow our page for the next two weeks, and we promise you delicious stories of very very different Ukrainian LGBTQ+ in the USA (spoiler - and not only, there are also several heterosexual liberals 🙂

**Acknowledgments! **
The entire QUA team and board express its sincere, gigantic, Arizona-size gratitude to the most talented people who helped us make this incredible project:
@Photo by Arthur Aleksanian  - he took such incredible photos that some of the characters look a few kilos slimmer (well, we know all credits to Photoshop 🙂 Maria Zhubreva, Alina Shubska, Artem Kuzmenchuk - they worked day and night on the texts. 

Artem Vasilkin coded his inspiration into our website, and now we can show you our stories! Thank you, friends, you are so incredible, [Artem Vasilkin](https://www.facebook.com/artemvasilkin) – you are a gem!

Follow us, subscribe to our [Facebook page](https://www.facebook.com/QUA.community), we promise many interesting stories during the next two weeks!

#QUAPRIDE2020 #QUA #LGBTQUA

У 2020 році вперше за понад 50 років усі правозахисні та культурні ЛГБТК-марші були скасовані через карантин у зв’язку із пандемією коронавірусу Covid-19. Та ми з вами знаємо, що права людини для ЛГБТК - це не лише марші (хоча саме марш та вуличний протест є неодмінною частиною нашої культури), але й наша видимість, гордість бути собою як відповідь на багаторічні пригнічення, дискримінацію, утиски та переслідування. 
У минулому році ми організовували першу українську колону на Нью-Йоркському прайді. У нинішньому ми теж плекали надію пройтися вулицями Вашингтонщини та Сан-Францизчини. І хоча фізичного маршу не відбудеться - ми крокуємо онлайн! 
Тож, вітайте наш спеціальний проєкт ONLINE PRIDE-2020, де ви зустрінете 15 відважних героїв та героїнь! Українців та українок, що емігрували до США та створили щасливі родини. Вони знайшли себе тут, та пам'ятають своє українське коріння і залюбки підтримують розвиток української ЛГБТК-ком'юніті в США. 
Хто вони?
Це хлопці та дівчата, жінки та чоловіки, яким Америка дала можливість жити нормальним життям: одружитися, виховувати дітей і не боятися бути собою. 
Наступні два тижні слідкуйте за нашою сторінкою. Ми обіцяємо вам унікальні історії дуже-дуже різних українських ЛГБТК+ в США (спойлер - і не лише ЛГБТ, знайшлось і декілька гетеросексуальних лібералів 🙂 
Подяки! 
Вся команда та правління QUA висловлює щиру, велетенську, як арізонщіна, подяку неймовірно талановитим людям, які допомагали нам зробити цей важливий проєкт:
Arthur Aleksanian  зробив настільки неймовірні фото, що дехто з героїв виглядає на декілька кілограм стрункіше 🙂 Maria Zhubreva, Alina Shubska, Artem Kuzmenchuk днями і ночами працювали над текстами.  Artem Vasilkinkin закодив своє натхнення в наш сайт, і тепер ми можемо показати вам наші історії!
Дякуємо, друзі та подруги, ви просто неймовірні! 
Слідкуйте за нами. Підписуйтеся на нашу фейсбук-сторінку. Обіцяємо багато цікавого протягом наступних двох тижнів!  
#QUAPRIDE2020 #QUA #LGBTQUA

1696 x 1272_03

QUA: OUR ONLINE PRIDE 2020

QUA: Наш ONLINE PRIDE-2020

Today we are happy to announce our team has finished all the steps to found and register QUA - LGBTQ Ukrainians in America officially as an American 501(c)(3) non-government organization and based in Washington District of Columbia, U.S.
This day began a history when the group of Ukrainians living in the U.S. and Americans with Ukrainian roots started the civil rights organization working as a bridge between Ukrainian LGBTQ and American society in the U.S.

The Board of Directors includes Bogdan Globa, Dmytro Berezenko, Alex Burlakov, Sergiy Sibel, Dmytro Orlovsky, and Yana Slesarchuk. The founder and Ukrainian LGBTQ activist Bogdan Globa will serve as president for the next four years.

## Mission Statement

QUA - LGBTQ UKRAINIANS IN AMERICA will foster cultural exchange between American and Ukrainian LGBTQ communities. It will cooperate with both American and Ukrainian cultural and human rights institutions to promote democratic values both in the USA and Ukraine.   

The main goal of this organization is to provide newly arrived Ukrainian LGBTQ individuals and families with help, protection, and facilitate their adaptation integrating into American society.

## Bogdan Globa - President QUA

Bogdan Globa is a human rights and LGBTQ activist, leader, and co-founder of QUA - LGBTQ Ukrainians in America, the first openly gay person to address the Ukrainian Parliament and to be ranked in the  "TOP 30 Under 30 Ukrainians" in 2016. He has been living in the USA since November 2016 and working on LGBTQ human rights issues internationally. He initiated the first official Ukrainian group in the World Pride in New York in 2019 and several other human rights events on Capitol Hill.   

Before working in the public sector, Bogdan Globa was CEO in the large Ukrainian LGBTQ NGO, and from 2015 until 2016 served as an assistant to Mr. Grigoriy Nemira, Head of Human Rights committee in Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. 

In 2012 Bogdan finished the State Department leadership program "LGBT advocacy in the U.S." and, after that, successfully realized several significant initiatives, including founding LGBTQ parents movement TERGO, Corporate Equality Index, Friendly Doctor (HIV/AIDS  friendly service for LGBTQ in Ukraine).   

Since 2016 Bogdan has been actively working on anti-LGBTQ Russian propaganda issues. In March 2019, the Georgetown Public Policy Review published his Op-ed How Russia exports homophobia into Ukraine.

He is an M.A. graduate of the University of Economics and Trade in Poltava and Kyiv-Mohyla Business School (MBA).

## QUA future

"We are extremely optimistic; we have a small but active and creative team who intensively works for Ukrainian LGBTQ community needs and builds a cultural bridge between LGBTQ Ukrainian and American. Our team is American dreamers, and we believe Ukrainian has a lot of unique civil rights experiences that can be helpful in the U.S. LGBTQ Ukrainians should be a great brick for diverse American society",  Bogdan Globa said. 

## Support QUA. 

We are welcoming new board members with an active role in QUA, and people who want to just follow us and support in any other way. If you want to be part of the organization, please leave your information by this link.

Also, you can find us on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube.

QUA – LGBTQ Ukrainians in America are officially registered like a NGO

QUA - LGBTQ Ukrainians in America joined the HRC and 100+ LGBTQ organizations and signed [a letter condemning racial violence](https://assets2.hrc.org/files/assets/resources/LGBTQ_Organizations_Unite_to_Combat_Racial_Violence.pdf).

QUA strongly supports the black community of the United States. Our friends and neighbors still struggle with racism, racial violence, and police brutality in a day to day life. As an LGBTQ immigrant organization, we respect and cherish the human rights of all people.

We ask everyone to support the black community to fight racism and discrimination. We urge our community to take action today: join a peaceful protest, educate society or yourself, help a human rights or educational organization.

# BlackLivesMatter

QUA - LGBTQ Ukrainians in America joined the HRC and 100+ LGBTQ organizations and signed [a letter condemning racial violence](https://assets2.hrc.org/files/assets/resources/LGBTQ_Organizations_Unite_to_Combat_Racial_Violence.pdf]).

QUA strongly supports the black community of the United States. Our friends and neighbors still struggle with racism, racial violence, and police brutality in a day to day life. As an LGBTQ immigrant organization, we respect and cherish the human rights of all people.

We ask everyone to support the black community to fight racism and discrimination. We urge our community to take action today: join a peaceful protest, educate society or yourself, help a human rights or educational organization.

# BlackLivesMatter

9C843599-04E7-4C01-8CDB-8719132E9B96_1_105_c

 Justice for one is justice for all

QUA team is working on the report about Russian anti-LGBTQ propaganda in Ukraine and Eastern Europe. We are considering more and more cases of how organizations, religious, or conservative groups supported by the Russian government or related organizations are pushing the anti-LGBTQ agenda in Ukraine and use the so-called “traditional family values” for carrying forward hate speech and calls for violence.

For example, a member of Svoboda party Oleg Karpuk in the City Council of Rivne initiated the resolution to ban gay pride and other LGBTQ events in the region. In 2013 Ukrainian activists found out that the webserver of Svoboda was located in Moscow, Russian Federation.

Religious leader Filaret (Denysenko) in the interview on TV said that coronavirus happened because of gay marriages. Until 1992, Filaret (Denysenko) had been serving in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate). 

The report will be presented to the U.S. government and other human rights actors at the end of July 2020 in Washington D.C. and in Brussels in the late fall of 2020.

 

**Related links:**

Georgetown Public Policy Review: [HOW RUSSIA EXPORTS HOMOPHOBIA INTO UKRAINE](https://gppreview.com/2019/03/19/guest-op-ed-russia-exports-homophobia-ukraine/)

The Harriman Institute at [Columbia University: The Politics of Anti-LGBTQ Propaganda in Russia and Ukraine](http://www.columbia.edu/cu/creative/epub/harriman/2020/spring/internal_enemies-the_politics_of_anti-LGBTQ_propaganda_in_russia_and_ukraine.pdf)

Ukraine: The liberal honeymoon for LGBTQ is over.

US political asylum 2020 – what you need to know

Open letter to Representatives Eliot L. Engel and Marcia Carolyn Kaptur

QUA: OUR ONLINE PRIDE 2020

QUA – LGBTQ Ukrainians in America are officially registered like a NGO

Justice for one is justice for all

QUA is working on the report about Russian anti-LGBTQ propaganda in Ukraine and Eastern Europe