You're reading: Kyiv bans opposition rallies on Independence Day

District Administrative Court in Kyiv has banned various opposition parties and organizations from holding their rallies in central Kyiv on August 24, the Independence Day, Batkivschyna Party MP Yuriy Odarchenko told journalists on Tuesday.

"Under its ruling, the court banned opposition parties from rallying on most squares in central Kyiv. The ruling concerns European Square, Hrushevsky Street, Glory Square, Mykhailivska Square, Sofiyska Square, Bankova Street, and Independence Square," he said.

Odarchenko also added: "It turns out that today in our country there are only people who support President [Viktor] Yanukovych, and only they can celebrate the Independence Day holiday, while all opposition parties that are supported by most Ukrainians have been banned from holding rallies in central Kyiv."

He said that the only place where the opposition was allowed to hold rallies was the park near the monument to Taras Shevchenko, outside the central building of Kyiv Taras Shevchenko University on Volodymyrska Street.

The court issued the ruling under a lawsuit lodged by Kyiv City State Administration

As reported, the first deputy leader of the Batkivschyna Party, Oleksandr Turchynov, said on Tuesday that opposition parties were planning to march through the central streets of the city on August 24.