Catherine Ashton called on the President of Ukraine to bring recent decisions restricting citizens' fundamental rights in line with international commitments

In a Statement today EU High Representative Catherine Ashton expressed ‘deep concerns by the events in Kyiv’ where in ‘several pieces of legislation restricting the Ukrainian citizens' fundamental rights have been hurriedly passed in an apparent disrespect of parliamentary procedures and democratic principles’.

‘I am particularly concerned by the changes to the judicial code which impose worrying restrictions on the rights of assembly and on the freedom of speech and media, and are contrary to Ukraine's international obligations. The changes that seem to seriously curtail the activities of civil society organisations in Ukraine and simplify procedures for revocation of mandates of Members of Parliament are equally worrying’, the statement says.

‘These regrettable developments come at a time of political crisis and do not contribute to building confidence and finding a political solution which can only happen through an inclusive dialogue with all stakeholders’, said the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

Catherin Ashton called on the President of Ukraine to ‘ensure that these decisions are revised and brought in line with Ukraine's international commitments’.

Statement

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