Ombudsperson: Ukraine should adopt law on freedom of peaceful assembly

16:42, 22.08.2013 1 min read

Only a law on freedom of peaceful assembly can regulate relations between participants in peaceful assemblies and the police, Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Valeria Lutkovska has said live on Channel 5.

"There is a problem because of the absence of a law on peaceful assembly, a law, which, in fact, should become the second civil constitution for Ukrainian citizens, as it's an opportunity to defend your position and state your position. This right, in fact, is related to the right to freedom of expression, as well as a constitutional right. Apart from a constitutional provision that guarantees such a right, we have no mechanism for its implementation," Lutkovska said.

"Therefore, there is currently no provision that would establish how the police should act, when to use force and when not, when a peaceful assembly crosses the border of peace and does not become peaceful assembly, and how the police should act in such a case," she added.