KIEV
Last weekend’s clashes were crimes against the state, not just heated protests, Ukraine's Prosecutor General Viktor Pshonk said on Tuesday in reference to violent demonstrations that broke out on Sunday.
At least 61 people were admitted to the hospital and 100 police officers wounded in violent clashes when thousands marched on Kiev's streets to demonstrate against a recently passed anti-protest legislation.
In his statement, Pshonk called on opposition leaders to recall demonstrators and tell them to refrain from violating public order.
“Laws are the foundation of a democratic state. Neither the law nor the state can be held hostage by ultimatums, stones, and Molotov cocktails,” Pshonk said.
Ukraine's opposition parties have submitted a series of demands to President Viktor Yanukovych, including the immediate repeal of a new legislation which bans masks and helmets during demonstrations, a change in presidential election laws, and a call for general elections after the formation of an interim government.
They also asked Yanukovych to hold the country’s Interior Minister Vitaly Zakharchenko responsible for allowing security forces to use disproportionate force against protesters. The unconditional release of all detained demonstrators was also demanded.
The ongoing protests in Ukraine began in November 2013 when Yanukovych refused to sign the "Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement" (DCFTA) offered by the European Union (EU). DCFTA was meant to serve as a springboard for Ukraine to move closer to the 28-member bloc.
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