“Crackdown On Civil Liberties” : Prison For Ukrainian Anti-War Marxist Condemned In Dáil
Syrotiuk was sentenced to 15 years in prison for spreading the writings of Lenin, claiming the mantle of internationalism and advocating for an anti-war revolutionary defeatist position in the proxy war between Russia and Ukraine.
People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy urged Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Helen McEntee to intervene on behalf of anti-war Marxist Bogdan Syrotiuk in a written parliamentary question on the 8th of October 2026.
Syrotiuk was sentenced to 15 years in prison for spreading the writings of Lenin, claiming the mantle of internationalism and advocating for an anti-war revolutionary defeatist position in the proxy war between Russia and Ukraine.
Deputy Murphy asked whether McEntee will contact her Ukrainian counterpart to communicate opposition to the imprisonment of Syrotiuk and the crackdown on civil liberties in Ukraine
McEntee gave a non-committal answer, arguing that because an appeal had been lodged, “it would not be appropriate for me to seek to interfere in ongoing judicial proceedings in Ukraine”.
"Ireland recognises progress made by Ukraine in strengthening its institutions and the rule of law, which are necessary as Ukraine seeks to join the European Union. The EU Commission has also recognised progress in this regard, including reforms in the Ukrainian justice system, " she added.
Post-Maidan legislation such as the “decommunization law” and “propaganda of totalitarian regime/symbols law” de-facto criminalise both left-wing activities and pro-Soviet WW2 memory in Ukraine.
Dissident Ukrainians face labelling as traitors and Kremlin collaborators for expressing anti-war opinions, while Irish complicity in forced conscription has become clear after FFG accepted a Brussels directive to turn back refugees from the country without proper military documents.
People Before Profit has been taking an increasingly critical approach towards the Zelensky regime, including condemning the aforementioned decision in the Dáil. The adoption of a principled position of condemning repression in Ukraine is welcome. FFG are bent on sending Ukrainians to die in a war they do not want to fight.
A petition is currently live by the World Socialist Web Site (WSWS) organisation in support of Syrotiuk, an orthodox Trotskyist tendency which he is part of, and has garnered more than 8,000+ signatures and worldwide support.
