Luhansk: Worryingly inadequate excuses for banning peaceful assembly
The Luhansk District Administrative Court has effectively banned all peaceful protest in the centre of Luhansk until 14 January 2014. The court in this way allowed an application from the Luhansk City Council which had claimed that a ban was needed due to possible clashes between supporters and opponents of European integration.
Most worryingly, the court ban, issued by judge O.B. Tsypko, states that the Council’s Executive Committee applied for the court order on receipt of a letter from the Luhansk Regional Police. It is they who claim that their experience in upholding law and order has demonstrated that conflict is possible, which “creates the pre-conditions for undesirable adverse consequences and mass infringements of public order.”
The excuse has been tried in other countries and not met with understanding in the European Court of Human Rights.
On Tuesday there was a brief protest action in support of European integration. It was attended by around 40 supporters of Batkivshchyna and VO Svoboda.