Ukraine amnesty law due to take forceFebruary 17, 2014 - 09:06 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - An amnesty law to drop criminal cases against hundreds of pro-EU protesters in Ukraine will enter into force on Monday, Feb 17, authorities said, according to RIA Novosti. Charges will be dropped against protesters who were detained or charged with crimes during mass anti-government rallies in Ukraine between Dec 27 and Feb 2, a statement on the general prosecutor’s website said. The statement did not specify how many protesters would be amnestied. Ukraine’s prosecutor general said in early February that a total of 259 demonstrators would receive clemency under the agreement. The announcement appears to signal that the Ukrainian opposition has satisfied government demands to unblock streets and release City Hall in Kyiv, which has been occupied by protesters for over two months, as a condition of the amnesty, RIA Novosti says. Demonstrators withdrew from the building on Sunday afternoon, but threatened to take it back if authorities did not immediately make good on promises to drop charges against political activists. They also left Gruskevsky Street in Kyiv, the scene of the most violent clashes that injured over 200 people on both sides and left three protesters dead last month, as part of the deal to relieve tensions in the capital. The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, welcomed the evacuation of City Hall on Sunday as a de-escalation of the standoff between the government and opposition that has seized the country since November. Protests erupted across Ukraine after President Viktor Yanukovych rejected an association agreement with the European Union to sign a $15 billion aid package with Russia instead. The demonstrations initially vented anger at the abandoned trade deal, but quickly turned into a broad anti-government protest movement. Photo: AFP Related links: Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Russia provides info about arrested Armenian ex-MP Russian law enforcement agencies have provided information about the arrest of Tigran Urikhanyan. Lemkin Institue slams Pashinyan's “cryptic engagement with Genocide denial” The Lemkin Institute is alarmed over Pashinyan’s statements “questioning Armenia's legal basis to pursue justice against Turkey”. 41 detained as antigovernment protests continue in Yerevan 41 people were detained in Yerevan as people demanding Pashinian’s resignation stage campaigns of civil disobedience. Armenia votes for UN resolution granting Palestine new rights The U.N. General Assembly voted by a wide margin on May 10 to grant new “rights and privileges” to Palestine. |