Kyiv, 4 August 2014 – “All police officers who abused their powers when fighting back protesters’ attack and used excessive force, namely beat people lying on the ground, beat protesters with rubber batons in the head will be held liable and fired from police forces,” Anton Gerashchenko, Advisor to the Minister of Interior commented on the events to have taken place last night in Odesa night club at a briefing in the Ukraine Crisis Media Center. “There is no place for sadists in the police,” he underlined.
According to Mr. Gerashchenko Odesa regional police is in possession of dozens of video records that already helped identify 4 policemen to have exceeded their powers when on duty. “Odesa regional Prosecutor’s Office started criminal proceeding, investigation is on,” reassured Anton Gerashenko.
Advisor to the Minister of Interior added that the persons to have attacked policemen will be also held liable: “Police officers have to ensure public order in their area of their responsibility and will apply necessary force to achieve that.”
At a press briefing Anton Gerashchenko also spoke on sanctions which Interior Ministry is preparing against the persons who promote terrorism and separatism in Ukraine. “Our sanctions need not be less tough comparing to those already imposed on Russia by the EU, the US and Canada. Considerable part of the sanctions will touch upon financial markets control, namely upon activities of Russian banks on Ukraine’s territory in order to prevent them from sending money to support terrorism.”
According to Mr. Gerashchenko next round of sanctions will foresee ban of entry to Ukraine for persons who demonstrated their hostile attitude towards Ukraine, supported illegal annexation of Crimea and Putin’s policy to start a terrorist war on Ukraine’s territory. “By uniting our efforts with the West we have to make Russia return Crimea back and stop financing terrorism in Ukraine,” stated Anton Gerashchenko.
