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30-11-2004 05:30 Maidan-INFORM
Luhansk Authorities: Pro-Yanukovych Rally Participants Attacked by Individuals Who Had Been Standing With People In Orange

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Luhansk Authorities: Pro-Yanukovych Rally Participants Were Attacked by Individuals Who Had Been Standing Together With People Wearing Orange.

The Center of Public Relations of the Luhansk Region Ministry of Internal Affairs Executive Branch has issued a statement regarding the events that took place in Lugansk on November 29 and have been covered in earlier Maidan-INFORM reports.

Newsru.com reports that the Interfax news agency has contacted hospital officials to confirm that a Canadian volunteer from John Howard Society of Canada was admitted with cranial injuries. The Ukrainian News agency has reported that the injuries were severe and required surgery. A female correspondent of the agency present at the scene was 'badly beaten' according to the report.

An AFP report is available through:<a href="http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=us&q=lugansk
"> Google news </a>

Cited sources:
http://www.newsru.com/world/29nov2004/protest.html
http://uv2.ukranews.com/p4/news/article.html?id=16082

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<b>Statement from the Center for Public Relations of Luhansk Regional Ministry of Internal Affairs Executive Branch:</b>

Today internet sites have published information about participants of a rally in support of V. Yushchenko in Lugansk being assaulted. These sites alleged that the victims included tens of journalists, foreign observers, and supporters of the opposition leader.

In relation to this, we inform that on November 29, around 13:15, near the momument of T.G. Shevchenko in Lugansk, there was a rally in support of the presidential candidate Viktor Yanukovych. About 300 students with blue-white political paraphernalia participated. They chanted slogans and sang songs in support of their candidate.

In the course of the rally, around 13:30, 13-15 individuals with rods and bats stepped out from the direction of people with orange paraphernalia who were present on the square. "Crashing" into the gathering, they began to strike rally participants indiscriminatively. All of this lasted about 2 minutes. After that the attackers fled.

With regard to injured journalists, in particular the correspondent of "Ukrainian News", as well as the correpondent of "Luganchane", volunteers, coordinators from OSCE, etc., who have allegedly sustained injuries, none of them have reported to the police.

We also inform that as a result of the attack, three police officers who were defending the public have been injured. One of them was hospitalized.

In view of this, a criminal case under part 2 of chapter 296 (hooliganism) of the Ukrainian penal code has been opened.

Center for Public Relations of Luhansk Regional Ministry of Internal Affairs Executive Branch

29 November 2004

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