KIEV, November 26./ITAR-TASS/. A district magistrate court in Cherkasy (Ukraine) has banned mass pickets, demonstrations and rallies in the central square of Cherkasy since November 26 until January 25. Earlier, the city administration had appealed to the magistrate court, asking to ban protests acts in the city in connection with the election to the Ukrainian Rada from the Cherkasy constituency, Acting mayor of Cherkasy Viktor Belousov told Itar-Tass on Tuesday. Dozens of appeals from political parties, candidates for Rada mandates and ordinary citizens have applied, with all of them planning events in the cit center, Belousov said.
Six more district centers in Ukraine have adopted similar resolutions; the district magistrate court of Lugansk has banned protest acts and rallies until January 14. 2014. The court resolution was handed in to the organizers of a rally in support to the integration with the EU , at which around 50 supporters turned up, said Channel 5. This was done for purposes of prevention of possible clashes between public and party opponents who apply for a permission to stage acts scheduled for one and the same time, said a source from the Lugansk city administration.
The Dnepropetrovsk regional court has also banned protests acts against the decision made by the Ukrainian Cabinet to suspend the EU Association Agreement. Tents put up by the supporters of the integration with the EU were dismantled in Dnepropetrovsk last night.
Earlier, mass rallies had been banned in Nikolayev, Chernigov, Odessa, Kharkov, Kremenchug. In Kiev, protest acts were not banned, but the city court has not allowed to put up tents on city squares. The court resolution has been ignored.
Supporters of the integration with the European Union took to the streets on November 22 and have been protesting since against the decision adopted by the Ukrainian government to suspend preparations for signing the EU Association Agreement.