67. A motion of the new ruling coalition in Parliament on 23 February 2014, attempted to repeal the Law on the Principles of State Language Policy, adopted on 3 July 2012, and make Ukrainian the sole State language at all levels. On 2 March, Oleksandr Turchynov, acting President and Chair of the Parliament, declined to sign and approve the Parliament’s decision to repeal the law. The 2012 law continues to apply for the time being, but a new law is being prepared. The motion, though never enacted, raised concerns among Russian speakers and other minorities in Ukraine, and was largely considered a mistake. Despite deepening divides between some social groups, there are also civil society actions against it, emphasising the need for tolerance, mutual respect and solidarity. In Lviv, the delegation was heartened by its meeting with Mr. Volodimir Beglov, who had launched a campaign for people across Ukraine to speak Russian for a day in protest against the repeal of the Law on Languages, and in solidarity with Ukraine’s Russian-speaking minorities. This individual initiative shows that there is a way forward and that transcending ethnic and linguistic differences is possible in Ukraine. B. The right to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and the right to information 68. Demonstrations have continued to take place since early March, in particular in eastern Ukraine. At least four persons were killed as a result of violence that broke out between antigovernment protestors and supporters of the Government, who allegedly travelled to Donetsk and Kharkiv from western and central regions of Ukraine. The OHCHR delegation was told by several interlocutors about allegations according to which people were brought in buses and paid to take part in protests and conduct them according to specific scenarios, including causing violent incidents. Some protesters allegedly come from the Russian Federation, according to information received from local authorities and confirmed by the central authorities. 69. Reports have been made of arrests during demonstrations that have taken place during the week starting on 10 March in Donetsk and in Kharkiv5. Police moved to clear protests sites and arrested the leader of protests in Donetsk6. Since the start of the Maidan protests, and particularly after the beginning of the Crimea crisis, the human right to information needs to be carefully monitored. While the distorted anti-Maidan discourse of the media controlled by the supporters of former President Viktor Yanukovych ended with the latter’s dismissal in the end of February, new concerns emerged whereby pro-Maidan politicians or activists would exert pressure on the media to air or voice ‘patriotic’ discourse. For example, on 18 March 2014, the representative of Svoboda political party MP Igor Myroshnichenko and other Svoboda party members arrived to the National Television Company of Ukraine and intimidated and assaulted its Head Mr Olexander Panteleimonov, forcing him to sign a resignation letter. The Acting Prosecutor General committed to investigating the attack, which was also condemned by the Authorities. 70. The OHCHR delegation was provided with various accounts of events that have been perceived by some interlocutors as indicating attempts to limit freedom of expression. While cases under previous Governments were numerous, recent ones include: 5 http://rus.ozodi.org/archive/news/20140201/11266/11266.html?id=25287436 http://obs.in.ua/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4859:ukr-world&catid=3:regnews&Itemid=11 6 16 | P a g e