A law on eliminating negative consequences and preventing prosecution or punishment of individuals in regard to events that took place during peaceful rallies in Ukraine was published in the Holos Ukrainy and Uriadovy Kurier newspapers on Wednesday and will come into force on Thursday.

The Verkhovna Rada passed the law on December 19, and on December 23 it was announced that Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych had signed the document.

The law comes into force on the day following its publication.

The law stipulates that all criminal cases opened against rally participants since November 21 should be closed and individuals should be released. These people are considered to have no convictions.

New criminal cases and cases on administrative offences cannot be open against participants of protest rallies or large-scale events held since November 21 until the law comes into effect.