European committee finds no evidence to prove Russia's involvement in Maidan riots

Representatives for the Committee on the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment of the Council of Europe stated that they could not find evidence to prove the presence of Russian security forces at the Independence Square (Maidan) in Kiev during violent protests in 2013 and 2014.

In this regard, the committee asked the Ukrainian authorities to provide information   of any progress in this matter.

The committee also found that soldiers of Berkut special purpose unit and representatives of other law enforcement bodies of Ukraine had used violence against detained protesters on Maidan in 2014.

It was also said that the deliberate use of violence against Euromaidan activists was approved by the authorities as a method of establishing order and was conducted prior to the delivery of the detained individuals to Ukrainian investigators. Members of the Committee on the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment of the Council of Europe prepared the report as a result of their visit to Ukraine in February 2014.