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Opposition Bloc accuses Ukraine’s authorities of flagrant violation of human rights

According to the Opposition Bloc, Ukraine has never seen such a big number of people put in prison for their political views

KIEV, December 10. /TASS/. Ukraine’s current authorities are violating human rights consistently and comprehensively, like no others before them, the Opposition Bloc party said in a statement on Sunday, the internationally observed Human Rights Day.

"The so-called ‘humanitarian policy’ of the authorities negates the Ukrainian population’s natural rights to receive education, speak and hear the native language. Language quotas and restrictions are imposed on televisions and radio. Language restrictions are imposed on printed media. The rights of national minorities to receive education in their native tongues are infringed upon. The authorities blatantly interfere into the Church affairs which entails discrimination of the rights of millions of believers only because they worship at church other than the one the current country leaders go to," the party said.

According to the Opposition Bloc, the current authorities are pushing a policy of cultural assimilation under threat of administrative and criminal punishment. "The authorities have usurped the right to decide on a ‘model’ Ukrainian citizen and are seeking to punish all don’t fit in it or resist such policy," it said.

The party stressed that Ukraine has never seen such a big number of people put in prison for their political views. "Embarking on a path of political repression, the authorities want to curb social protests. They want to intimidate people to keep them from protesting against violation of their social rights that have completely been destroyed by the current authorities," it said.

"Violations of people’s rights and freedoms are flagrant," the Opposition Bloc underscored. "The current Ukrainian authorities are blind to the people’s miserable situation and deaf to public opinion. Obviously, it is senseless to wait when the authorities change their policy. They are reluctant to observe human rights in principle. They have another ideology - an ideology of crackdown on dissidence and further strive towards dictatorship."

According to the Opposition Bloc, elections are needed to change the situation. "Only a new democratic government will be able to change the country, to ensure peace and guarantee human rights in Ukraine," it said.