You're reading: Batkivschyna: Court bans Rise Up, Ukraine! rally in Kharkiv on April 12

Kharkiv's District Administrative Court has granted a petition by Kharkiv City Council to ban an opposition march and rally as part of the Rise Up, Ukraine! campaign in Kharkiv, which was scheduled for Friday, April 12, the press service of the Batkivschyna Party has reported. 

According to the report, the city council said in its lawsuit that the event could pose a threat to public order, but it did not specify how the march and rally could pose a threat to this.

The city council also noted that permissible noise levels near residential buildings and recreation sites could be exceeded because of the rally involving a large number of participants.

“The attempt to ban the campaign in Kharkiv is nothing but another manifestation of the authorities being afraid of the people,” Batkivschyna said, noting that the opposition rally in Kharkiv will be held “under any circumstances.”

The leaders of the Batkivschyna, UDAR and Svoboda factions in parliament, Arseniy Yatseniuk, Vitali Klitschko and Oleh Tiahnybok, are expected to participate in the opposition march.

As reported, on April 10, Kharkiv City Council decided to ask the court to ban an opposition rally as part of the Rise Up, Ukraine! campaign in Kharkiv on April 12.