| Oleksandr Merezhko | |
| Native Name: | Ukrainian: Олександр Олександрович Мережко |
| Birth Date: | 14 February 1971 |
| Birth Place: | Bobrynets, Kirovohrad Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union |
| Occupation: | Lawyer, philosopher, politician |
| Party: | Servant of the People |
| Alma Mater: | Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, University of Denver |
Oleksandr Oleksandrovich Merezhko (; born 14 February 1971) is a Ukrainian jurist, doctor of legal sciences, professor, honored lawyer of Ukraine.
Oleksandr Merezhko was born on 14 February 1971 in Bobrynets, Kirovohrad Oblast.
In 1994 he graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv with honors (specialty – international law). In 1992–1993 he studied at Denver University (US).
In 1996 he completed postgraduate studies at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, defended his candidate's thesis in international law on the topic "The concept of humanitarian intervention and the mechanism of human rights protection within the framework of the UN" (decision of the Specialized Academic Council of the Koretsky Institute of State and Law of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine dated 15 November 1996., protocol No. 13). In December 2002 he defended his doctoral dissertation on international law on the topic "Theory and Principles of Transnational Trade Law (Lex Mercatoria)" at the Taras Shevchenko Institute of International Relations of Kyiv National University (decision of the Presidium of the Higher Attestation Commission of Ukraine dated 21 May 2003, protocol No. 36-11/5). He completed numerous scientific internships abroad. In 2001 the Institute named after Harriman of Columbia University (US); in 2004–2005 – at the Kennan Institute of the Woodrow Wilson Center (US), in 2010–2011 – at one of the research institutes in Washington (US).
Candidate for People's Deputies from the Servant of the People party in the 2019 parliamentary elections, No. 85 on the list.[13] [14]
Member of the VRU Committee on Legal Policy, since 17 January 2020 – Chairman of the VRU Committee on Foreign Policy, replacing Bohdan Yaremenko in this position.[15]
He specializes in issues of philosophy and theory of international law, civil law, and international private law. The philosophical and legal concept of Professor Merezhko is that law is a complex dynamic process of interaction of five components ("five worlds of law"):
1. law as a legal text (semiotic aspect of law);
2. law as a legal emotion (psychological aspect of law);
3. law as a social relationship (sociological aspect of law);
4. law as outwardly expressed behavior (behavioral aspect of law);
5. rights as a desire to achieve certain transcendent ideals and values (metaphysics of law).The interaction of these five dimensions, in which law exists and develops, and form the phenomenon of law as a whole.
Develops the concept of "intercivilizational law", under which he proposes to understand a set of principles and norms (legal, political and moral) aimed at regulating relations between different civilizations. He also formulated the concept of "legal meme", which means a unit of transmission of legally significant information.
Researches the political and legal system and history of the Russian Federation from the point of view of the sociology of law. Based on the publications of Mykola Timashev, he writes that under the facade of "managed democracy" hides a regime of despotic power in a softened form, characteristic of the history of the Russian state.[16] In the article "Russia as a fascist society" he proves that today Russia corresponds to the scientific and sociological criteria of a fascist society.[17]
In the book "Russian Science of International Law during the First World War" (Kyiv, 2014) he analyzed international law during the war and criticized the modern Russian doctrine of international law, which after the beginning of the temporary annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation turned into propaganda of the Putin regime.
He is the author of numerous articles on the topic of Russian aggression against Ukraine, researches it from the point of view of international law. Justifies the right of the Crimean Tatar people to self-determination as an indigenous people within Ukraine. Conducts a critical analysis of the arguments of Russian international lawyers and shows the criminal nature of the annexation of Crimea by Russia. In 2008, in one of his journalistic articles, he interpreted the Russo-Georgian war as Georgian aggression by Saakashvili's "imperial" regime against South Ossetia, which met the main criteria of statehood, and the Ossetian people themselves had the right, in Merezhko's opinion, to secession. In the same article, he expressed the opinion that Ukraine should recognize the legitimacy of the secession of both Kosovo and South Ossetia and Abkhazia by analogy with the international recognition of Kosovo by most EU countries, as well as the US, Canada and Australia.[18] In 2020, in a conversation with RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty, Merezhko stated that Russia, invading the territory of Georgia in 2008 under the guise of peacekeeping, actually carried out an armed aggression against Georgia with the occupation of part of its sovereign territory.[19]
Justified the thesis that Russia, taking the place of the USSR in the UN Security Council, thereby clearly violated the UN Charter, since it cannot be considered the same state and the same subject of international law as the USSR; and therefore, from the point of view of international law, Russia cannot be considered a member of the UN.[20]
In June 2014, he gave a speech "Ideology of Liberalism and International Law" at a scientific conference at the university of Tartu (Estonia), in which he criticized Russia's annexation of Crimea from the point of view of international law.
In September 2014, he gave a speech "The Collapse of the USSR and Territorial Consequences" at the Institute named after Plank in Heidelberg (Germany), in which he showed the illegality of Russia's annexation of Crimea.[21] [22] [23]
In December 2014, he spoke at the university of Helsinki (Finland) at the "Ukrainian Crisis" seminar with a report in which he presented international legal arguments against Russia's invasion of Donbas.
In March 2015, in Warsaw, at the conference "The Case of Crimea in the Light of International Law", he raised the question of the forms and mechanisms of Russia's international legal responsibility for aggression against Ukraine.[24]
He is a supporter of anthropocentrism and the ideals of humanism.
Advocates women's rights against violence. He created and headed in the Verkhovna Rada the Inter-factional association "For the ratification of the Istanbul Convention!", which conducted an active campaign to support the ratification of this convention.[28]
In the late 1990s, he was influenced by the critical theory of the Frankfurt School, in particular, such social philosophers as Erich Fromm; however, later, under the influence of Petrazhytskyi's philosophy, he switched to the position of liberal democracy. He is a consistent supporter of complete freedom of speech and thought.
Ukraine found itself in a new version of the Russian Empire – the USSR, where it became a victim of what some consider genocide – the Holodomor. Rafal Lemkin, the author of the term "genocide", called the Holodomor an example of Soviet genocide: "This is not just a mass murder. This is genocide, the destruction of culture and people. Soviet national unity is created not through the unity of ideas and cultures, but through the complete destruction of all cultures and all ideas except one – the Soviet one." Russian military aggression against Ukraine is nothing more than a continuation of the traditional Russian imperialist policy aimed at destroying the independent Ukrainian state and enslaving the Ukrainian people.
In an interview with RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty, he called the US a partner and friend of Ukraine.[29]
In 2020, he spoke before the Petition Committee of the German Bundestag, presenting arguments in favor of recognizing the Holodomor as genocide of the Ukrainian people.[30]
He is one of the authors and initiators of the appeal of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to the Bundestag regarding recognition of the Holodomor as genocide of the Ukrainian people.[31]
He held hundreds of meetings with colleagues from the foreign affairs committees of the world parliaments, during which he emphasized the need to recognize the Holodomor as a genocide of the Ukrainian people, and also called on his colleagues to unite for Ukraine's victory over the Russian Federation and bring it to justice for all crimes committed.
He became one of the initiators of the recognition of Russia's crimes as genocide of the Ukrainian people, as well as the adoption by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of an appeal to the parliaments and countries of the world regarding the recognition of Russia's crimes as genocide of the Ukrainian people.[32]
The honorary title of Honored Lawyer of Ukraine (23 August 2021) – for a significant personal contribution to state building, strengthening defense capabilities, socio-economic, scientific-technical, cultural and educational development of the Ukrainian state, significant labor achievements, many years of conscientious work and on the occasion of the 30 anniversary of the independence of Ukraine.[33]
1. Transnational trade law, 2002
2. Introduction to the philosophy of international law, 2002
3. The law of international treaties: modern problems of the theory of practice, 2002
4. US Conflict of Laws, 2002
5. Contract in private law, 2003
6. History of international legal studies, 2006
7. Science of international private law: history and modernity, 2006
8. Science of the politics of international law: origins and prospects, 2009
9. Problems of the theory of international public and private law, 2010
10. The idea of international law (historical and sociological essay), 2011
11. Psychological theory of international law (public and private), 2012
12. Sociology of law M.S. Timashev, 2012