KHPG: On the events of Feb 20 in Kyiv
The Kharkiv Human Rights Group has addressed the following open appeal to the Verkhovna Rada and Prosecutor General regarding the terrorist operation against Ukrainian citizens on Feb 20
Yesterday, on Feb 20, 2014, a terrorist operation was effectively carried out in the centre of Kyiv resulting in the deaths of up to a hundred peaceful citizens, with hundreds wounded. Snipers used live ammunition specially equipped to hit their target from long distances used firing posts prepared in advance to kill dozens of unarmed people on Maidan Nezalezhnosti. The snipers specifically aimed to kill people since their bullets hit vital organs, the head, neck and heart. Terrible crimes against humanity were committed with tragic consequences.
The events of this terrible crime were for several hours broadcast live on many television channels yet none of those authorized to fight terrorism took measures to stop this terrorist operation against Ukrainian citizens.
We are therefore convinced that this crime could have only been carried out by a Security Service special unit.
We demand that Ukraine’s parliament, in accordance with Article 89 of the Constitution immediately form an investigative commission which must establish which unit the snipers belonged to and who came the criminal order to kill people.
We also call on the prosecutor’s office to take the measures envisaged by the Fighting Terrorism Act to stop the terrorist operation against citizens of Ukraine, detain the criminals, identify who organized and carried out this terrorist operation and hold them to answer as the law demands.
Iryna Rapp, Head of the Kharkiv Human Rights Group
Yevhen Zakharov, Director of the Kharkiv Human Rights Group