GENEVA, Switzerland, Jan. 21 (UPI) -- U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said Tuesday national protest laws in Ukraine represented a dramatic step away from democracy.
Protests rekindled in Kiev this week following a decision by Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych to adopt laws restricting demonstrations in the country. Pillay said she was concerned Ukrainian leaders were stifling democratic voices in Ukraine.
"Such provisions will roll back the enjoyment of human rights for the people of Ukraine, stifle debate and dissent, and jeopardize the democratic achievements of the past two decades," she said in a statement Tuesday.
Demonstrations erupted in November when the Yanukovych administration suspended efforts to sign free trade and association agreements with the European Union. He said the decision was made to protect Ukrainian economic ties to Russia.
Ukraine is a former Soviet republic. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted by the state-supported Russian news agency RIA Novosti as saying Tuesday criticism of Ukraine from European leaders was "indecent."
Yanukovych said Monday he was willing to listen to voices of opposition.
The National News Agency of Ukraine reported demonstrators caused $1.6 million worth of damage during recent protests.
"The violent clashes over the past few days in the center of Kiev, which reportedly resulted in many people being injured, are very worrying," Pillay said.
