- Update info:
- 28 Jan 2014 (Suspended)
- Latest info:
- 26 Dec 2013 (Updated)
- 18 Dec 2013 (Updated)
- 11 Dec 2013
- Country:
- UKRAINE
- Subject:
- Mykola Lazarevskiy, Oleksandr Ostashchenko, Vladyslav Zagorovko, ...
Gender: all male - Period:
- 28 Feb 2014
- Distribution date:
- 11 Dec 2013
- UA No:
- 325/2013
Nine street protestors have been detained in Ukraine and are facing eight-year prison sentences. One is in urgent need of medical care.
Violent clashes erupted between riot police (Berkut) and demonstrators on 1 December in the capital, Kyiv, on Bankova Street, outside the presidential administration building. Video footage shows protestors driving a tractor and wielding heavy chains and other weapons. At least 50 riot police and dozens of protestors were injured before the protest was dispersed at about 4pm. There are reports of indiscriminate and excessive use of force by riot police towards peaceful protestors and the wounded. Further video shows about a dozen injured people lying on the street and riot police kicking and beating them.
Nine people, including Mykola Lazarevskiy, Oleksandr Ostashchenko, Vladyslav Zagorovko, Valery Garutz and Yuriy Bolotov, were detained, and on 3 December the Shevchenkovskiy court in Kyiv ordered them to be detained for two months on suspicion of organizing violent disorder, a crime that carries a maximum sentence of eight years' imprisonment. Judges approving their detention failed to question statements presented by the police as evidence, and disregarded obvious contradictions and inconsistencies. They also failed to uphold the legal requirement that the prosecution must prove that alternative measures such as bail or house arrest are not possible. These nine people may have been indiscriminately detained and placed in custody in violation of their right to a fair trial and their right to freedom of assembly.
Vladyslav Zagorovko, a 38-year-old long-distance truck driver and father of three from Brovary in Kyiv district, took part in the demonstrations because he wanted to witness the “historic events”. He was beaten by riot police and suffered numerous injuries including broken ribs and a detached retina. He is held in the pre-trial detention centre in Kyiv (SIZO) and urgently requires surgery. Valery Garutz, a journalist from Dnipropetrovsk, was present on Bankova street to cover the events for his newspaper, Litsa. He was beaten by riot police as he was attending to the wounded after the demonstration had been dispersed.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Hundreds of thousands of people have been peacefully protesting in Kyiv and other cities of Ukraine since 21 November when the government stopped preparations for an Association Agreement with the EU days before it was due to be signed. On 30 November riot police violently dispersed a peaceful demonstration on Independence Square in the centre of Kyiv. According to eyewitnesses interviewed by Amnesty International, Berkut officers first told the demonstrators to disperse because the demonstration was “illegal”, then started to beat those that remained. Video footage shows Berkut officers beating protestors and in some cases pursuing men and women in order to beat them. About 35 people have so far been charged with “hooliganism” under the Administrative Code and dozens of people are being treated for their injuries. At least one person who registered a complaint concerning use of force by riot police has been subjected to aggressive interrogation by prosecutors in what appears to be an attempt to trap him into confessing to participating in mass disorder, following which he was hospitalized.
Name: Mykola Lazarevskiy, Oleksandr Ostashchenko, Vladyslav Zagorovko, Valery Garutz, Yuriy Bolotov
Gender m/f: all male
UA: 325/13 Index: EUR 50/017/2012 Issue Date: 5 December 2013
- Update info:
- 28 Jan 2014 (Suspended)
- Latest info:
- 26 Dec 2013 (Updated)
- 18 Dec 2013 (Updated)
- 11 Dec 2013
- Country:
- UKRAINE
- Subject:
- Gennadiy Cherevko, Mykola Lazarevskiy, Oleksandr Ostashchenko, ...
Gender: all male - Period:
- 28 Feb 2014
- Distribution date:
- 18 Dec 2013
- UA No:
- 325/2013
Of the nine street protesters unfairly detained in Ukraine, seven have had to be hospitalised. As soon as they are discharged from hospital they will be returned to the pre-trial detention centre.
Protesters Yaroslav Pritulenko and Yuriy Bolotov are being held in a pre-trial detention centre. Gennadiy Cherevko, Mykola Lazarevskiy, Oleksandr Ostashchenko, Sergiy Nuzhnenko, Valery Garagutz, Vladyslav Zagorovko and Yegor Previr were initially also detained, but had to be taken to hospital to treat the injuries they sustained, ranging from broken ribs and a detached retina to concussion. They may have been arbitrarily detained, and their arrest was approved by judges in flawed court proceedings.
The nine men were detained on 1 December at the site of violent clashes between riot police (Berkut) and demonstrators on Bankova Street, outside the presidential administration building. At least 50 riot police and dozens of protestors were injured during the clashes. There are reports of indiscriminate and excessive use of force by riot police towards perpetrators of violence, but also towards peaceful protestors, including the wounded. Video footage from the site shows about a dozen injured protestors being kicked and beaten by riot police despite the fact they are unarmed and lying on the ground.
On 3 December, the Shevchenkovskiy court in Kyiv approved continued detention of these nine men for two months, as requested by the prosecution. Judges approving their detention did not question the fact that statements presented by the police as evidence against the nine individuals were virtually identical and factually inaccurate. They also failed to uphold the legal requirement that the prosecution must prove that alternative measures such as bail or house arrest are not possible.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Hundreds of thousands of people have been peacefully protesting in Kyiv and other cities of Ukraine since 21 November when the government stopped preparations for an Association Agreement with the EU days before it was due to be signed. On 30 November riot police violently dispersed a peaceful demonstration on Independence Square in the centre of Kyiv. According to eyewitnesses interviewed by Amnesty International, Berkut officers first told the demonstrators to disperse because the demonstration was “illegal”, then started to beat those that remained. Video footage shows Berkut officers beating protestors and in some cases pursuing men and women in order to beat them. Dozens of people are being treated for their injuries. At least one person who registered a complaint concerning use of force by riot police has been subjected to aggressive interrogation by prosecutors in what appears to be an attempt to trap him into confessing to participating in mass disorder, following which he had to be hospitalized.
Vladyslav Zagorovko, a 38-year-old long-distance truck driver and father of three from Brovary in Kyiv district, took part in the demonstrations because he wanted to witness the “historic events”. He was beaten by riot police and suffered numerous injuries including broken ribs and a detached retina. He is held in the pre-trial detention centre in Kyiv (SIZO) and urgently requires surgery. Valery Garutz, a journalist from Dnipropetrovsk, was present on Bankova street to cover the events for his newspaper, Litsa. He was beaten by riot police as he was attending to the wounded after the demonstration had been dispersed.
Name: Gennadiy Cherevko, Mykola Lazarevskiy, Oleksandr Ostashchenko, Sergiy Nuzhnenko, Valery Garagutz, Vladyslav Zagorovko, Yaroslav Pritulenko, Yegor Previr, Yuriy Bolotov
Gender m/f: all male
Further information on UA: 325/13 Index: EUR 50/018/2012 Issue Date: 6 December 2013
- Update info:
- 28 Jan 2014 (Suspended)
- Latest info:
- 26 Dec 2013 (Updated)
- 18 Dec 2013 (Updated)
- 11 Dec 2013
- Country:
- UKRAINE
- Subject:
- Gennadiy Cherevko, Mykola Lazarevskiy, Oleksandr Ostashchenko, ...
Gender: all male - Period:
- 28 Feb 2014
- Distribution date:
- 26 Dec 2013
- UA No:
- 325/2013
Six of the nine street protesters unfairly detained in Ukraine have been released under bail conditions or house arrest. Two have confessed to participation in mass disorder, have been fined and released and one remains in detention.
On 11 December the Kyiv Appeal Court released Gennadiy Cherevko and Sergiy Nuzhnenko under bail conditions, and released Mykola Lazarevskiy under house arrest between 8pm and 7am. On 12 December Oleksandr Ostashchenko was released under bail conditions, and on 13 December the same court also released Valeriy Garagutz under bail conditions and Yegor Previr under house arrest between 8pm and 7am. Yuriy Bolotov and Vladyslav Zagorovko admitted to organizing public disorder and were fined 850 Hryvna (75 Euros) and released. Yaroslav Prytulenko remains in detention.
While it is good news that the six protesters were released and can access medical care unhindered, complaints of their ill-treatment at the hands of the Berkut riot police force should be promptly, independently and effectively investigated. Amnesty International renews its call for Yaroslav Prytulenko to be released on reasonable bail.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Hundreds of thousands of people have been peacefully protesting in Kyiv and other cities of Ukraine since 21 November when the government stopped preparations for an Association Agreement with the EU days before it was due to be signed. On 30 November riot police violently dispersed a peaceful demonstration on Independence Square in the centre of Kyiv. According to eyewitnesses interviewed by Amnesty International, Berkut officers first told the demonstrators to disperse because the demonstration was “illegal”, then started to beat those that remained. Video footage shows Berkut officers beating protestors and in some cases pursuing men and women in order to beat them. Dozens of people are being treated for their injuries. At least one person who registered a complaint concerning use of force by riot police has been subjected to aggressive interrogation by prosecutors in what appears to be an attempt to trap him into confessing to participating in mass disorder, following which he had to be hospitalized.
The nine men were detained on 1 December at the site of violent clashes between riot police (Berkut) and demonstrators on Bankova Street, outside the presidential administration building. At least 50 riot police officers and dozens of protestors were injured during the clashes. There are reports of indiscriminate and excessive use of force by riot police towards perpetrators of violence, but also towards peaceful protestors, including the wounded. Video footage from the site shows about a dozen injured protestors being kicked and beaten by riot police despite the fact they are unarmed and lying on the ground.
On 3 December the Shevchenkovskiy court in Kyiv approved continued detention of these nine men for two months, as requested by the prosecution. Judges approving their detention did not question the fact that statements presented by the police as evidence against the nine individuals were virtually identical and factually inaccurate. They also failed to uphold the legal requirement that the prosecution must prove that alternative measures such as bail or house arrest are not possible.
Vladyslav Zagorovko, a 38-year-old long-distance truck driver and father of three from Brovary in Kyiv district, took part in the demonstrations because he wanted to witness the “historic events”. He was beaten by riot police and suffered numerous injuries including broken ribs and a detached retina. He is held in the pre-trial detention centre in Kyiv (SIZO) and urgently requires surgery. Valeriy Garagutz, a journalist from Dnipropetrovsk, was present on Bankova street to cover the events for his newspaper, Litsa. He was beaten by riot police as he was attending to the wounded after the demonstration had been dispersed.
Name: Gennadiy Cherevko, Mykola Lazarevskiy, Oleksandr Ostashchenko, Sergiy Nuzhnenko, Valeriy Garagutz, Vladyslav Zagorovko, Yaroslav Prytulenko, Yegor Previr, Yuriy Bolotov
Gender m/f: all male
Further information on UA: 325/13 Index: EUR 50/019/2013 Issue Date: 13 December 2013
- Update info:
- 28 Jan 2014 (Suspended)
- Latest info:
- 26 Dec 2013 (Updated)
- 18 Dec 2013 (Updated)
- 11 Dec 2013
- Country:
- UKRAINE
- Subject:
- Yaroslav Prytulenko
Gender: m - Period:
- 28 Feb 2014
- Distribution date:
- 28 Jan 2014
- UA No:
- 325/2013
Yaroslav Prytulenko has been released from detention and all charges against him have been dropped.
On 24 January the Shevchenkivskiy District Court in Kyiv released Yaroslav Prytulenko and dropped all charges against him.
Amnesty International will continue to urge the authorities to open an investigation into his and others’ allegations of abusive and indiscriminate use of force by law enforcement officers against protesters in Kyiv during demonstrations that began in November 2013 and have continued since, and to call for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.
No further action is currently required from the Urgent Action Network.
This is the third update of UA: 325/13. Further information: http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/EUR50/019/2013/en