Ranko Krivokapic, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President
«The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is deeply concerned by the violence that occurred over the weekend in Ukraine, in which protesters, police, and journalists were injured. We urge both protesters and the authorities to exercise restraint and avoid provocation. We further urge dialogue to help defuse tensions.»
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Victoria Nuland, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs at the OSCE Ministerial Council
«What a moment this is for Ukraine, what a moment this is for the OSCE. The whole world is watching. All the principles and values on which this Organization was founded almost 40 years ago hang in the balance today between the Maidan and Bankova, and across this country: sovereignty, freedom of choice, freedom of association and alliance, freedom of assembly and expression, democracy and constitutional governance, peace and stability.»
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Dunja Mijatovic, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media
«I am especially concerned that in most of the cases, the beatings were reportedly conducted by the law enforcement officers who attacked the journalists and disregarded their press identification. Violence against journalists cannot be tolerated.»
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Joint Statement of US and EU Ambassadors on December 1 Events in Ukraine
«The Ambassadors of the European Union and United States welcome that, with one notable exception, today's protests have taken place peacefully. Both protestors and Ukrainian law enforcement authorities have showed restraint in the majority of areas, and we ask that this continue.»
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Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Stefan Füle, European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy
«The European Union strongly condemns the excessive use of force last night by the police in Kyiv to disperse peaceful protesters, who over the last days in a strong and unprecedented manner have expressed their support for Ukraine's political association and economic integration with the EU. This support had been welcomed yesterday by the participants of the Vilnius Eastern Partnership Summit. The unjustified use of force goes against the principles to which all participants of the Vilnius Summit, including the President of Ukraine, yesterday reaffirmed their adherence.»
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Martin Schulz, European Parliament President
«I am following events in Ukraine with great concern. Its authorities are not only ignoring the aspirations of many of its citizens, but are quashing them with batons and tear gas when these hopes are voiced on the streets with desperation.»
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Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Secretary General of NATO
«Tonight in Kyiv, many Ukrainians continue to show their strong support for their country's closer relations with the European Union. It is the right of people everywhere to express their views in a democratic way.»
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Freedom House
«Freedom House condemns the use of force by Ukrainian government forces over the weekend against journalists and protesters in Kyiv, in demonstrations that have been the largest the country has seen since the Orange Revolution in 2004. Freedom House calls on the government in particular as well as the opposition and civil society to avoid violence and the use of force.»
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«The Ukrainian government has failed to fulfill its pledge to protect the freedom of expression, and corruption and poor ethical standards increasingly plague Ukrainian media, concludes a report issued today by Freedom House. The findings cast doubt on the government's commitment to allow Ukrainians to freely express themselves and for the media to function as an effective check on government and business.»
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Amnesty International
«The violent dispersal of demonstrators on Independence Square (Maidan) in the centre of Kyiv on Saturday morning shows a shameful disregard for peoples right to peacefully protest said Amnesty International. The organization is calling for a prompt, effective and independent investigation into allegations of abusive use of force by officers from the Berkut riot police force..»
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Human Rights Watch
«Ukraine is going through serious civil unrest," said Rachel Denber, deputy Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "No matter how difficult the situation becomes, police shouldn't be beating people who pose no threat.»
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NDI
«The National Democratic Institute (NDI) joins other international organizations and governments in supporting the rights of Ukrainian citizens to free speech and assembly. The Institute condemns the recent violence against peaceful demonstrators and calls on Ukrainian leaders to respect these rights and prevent further violence.»
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Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union
«Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union is outraged by cynical and senseless violence that was demonstrated through forceful dispersal of a peaceful meeting at Maidan Nezalezhnosti in Kyiv and other incidents of violence throughout all the country.»
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Transparency International Ukraine
«Ukrainian National Chapter of Transparency International expresses its burning indignation regarding the impudent dispersal of Euromaidan by police on the night of November 30, 2013; as well as the impudent violation of constitutional rights and freedoms of all who live in this country.»
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Ukrainian Catholic University
«All of Ukraine is stunned, as is the whole world. Violence against peaceful demonstrators committed by the Berkut riot police as ordered by the government is entirely unacceptable in a democracy. The brutality with which the armed Berkut dispersed the defenseless demonstrators, particularly the women, is appalling.»
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Shevchenko Kyiv National University
«We support European integration of Ukraine, foreseen by the Law of Ukraine "On principles of internal and external policy". We respect the wish of our compatriots and our students to live in a civilized European society. We respect the rights to the freedom of thought and speech, free expression of belief, peaceful assembly, demonstrations and rallies.»
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