Court finds those detained over removal of tents on Khreshchatyk committed no offence

The court on Tuesday found no administrative offences in the actions of six of the seven people detained for alleged failure to obey police orders during an attempt to erect tents on Khreshchatyk.

The Kyiv Police Department reported that only one of those detained was fined 138 UAH by the Shevchenkivsky District Court.

The police report said that they were surprised by the ruling, and asserted that the police had acted lawfully “trying to prevent unlawful actions by members of the public.” The report also considered that the court’s ruling might in some way have been influenced by the presence at the hearing of a group of National Deputies.

As reported, Berkut riot police on Monday cordoned off and removed tents erected on the other side of the road to the Pechersky District Court  where the trial is taking place of former Prime Minister and leader of the Batkivshchyna party Yulia Tymoshenko.

The tents removed had flags with the symbol of the Coalition of Participants in the Orange Revolution. There were clashes between those defending their right to have the tents and the Berkut riot police.

The most active of these were detained and an administrative protocol was drawn up under Article 185 of the Code of Administrative Offences and passed to the court. 

Photo from the BBC Ukrainian Service