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Stand-off over 'tortured' Ukrainian activist Dmytro Bulatov | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Medical workers have blocked police from questioning a Ukrainian protester who says he was abducted and tortured. | |
Dmytro Bulatov, who went missing for eight days, is being treated in hospital after claiming he was "crucified" by his captors. | |
He is on a wanted list, but police denied they were going to arrest him. They said they had gone to the hospital to question him about his abduction. | |
Ukraine's months-long anti-government protests turned violent two weeks ago. | |
Police and demonstrators clashed in the days after the government passed a law severely restricting protesters' rights. | |
President Viktor Yanukovych has since ordered the law repealed, signed an amnesty for protesters, and accepted the resignation of his cabinet. | |
It followed months of peaceful protests sparked in November, when Mr Yanukovych pulled out of a deal with the EU in favour of a Russian bailout. | |
'Death squads' | |
Mr Bulatov, who was found bloodied and bedraggled on the outskirts of the capital on Thursday, said he had been left to die by his captors. | |
"They crucified me, so there are holes in my hands now," he said. | "They crucified me, so there are holes in my hands now," he said. |
"They cut off my ear, cut up my face. My whole body is a mess. You can see everything. I am alive. Thank God for this." | |
The activist reportedly said he did not know who had abducted him, but his abductors had spoken with Russian accents. | |
Opposition leader Arseniy Yatsenyuk, who earlier refused an offer to become prime minister, said protesters now faced "murders, abuse, torture [and] kidnappings" | |
"Recent events with Dmytro Bulatov are evidence of the fact that there are now death squads in Ukraine, like in Latin America," he said. | |
Mr Bulatov is a prominent anti-government activist and one of the leaders of the organisation AutoMaidan, which has patrolled streets around Independence Square. | Mr Bulatov is a prominent anti-government activist and one of the leaders of the organisation AutoMaidan, which has patrolled streets around Independence Square. |
Amnesty International described Mr Bulatov's ordeal as a "barbaric act which must be investigated immediately". | Amnesty International described Mr Bulatov's ordeal as a "barbaric act which must be investigated immediately". |
The BBC's Duncan Crawford in Kiev says Mr Bulatov is the latest of a number of activists to have gone missing. At least one was later found dead. | |
Appeal from army | Appeal from army |
Meanwhile, the defence minister said in a statement that the army had urged Mr Yanukovych to take "urgent steps within the limits of existing legislation" to ease the crisis. | Meanwhile, the defence minister said in a statement that the army had urged Mr Yanukovych to take "urgent steps within the limits of existing legislation" to ease the crisis. |
The statement said the military had labelled as "unacceptable" the occupation of government buildings by protesters. | |
Soldiers have not yet been deployed against the protesters during the crisis. | Soldiers have not yet been deployed against the protesters during the crisis. |
Nato chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said in a tweet: "Ukraine's military is highly respected and must remain neutral. I continue to follow developments with concern." | Nato chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said in a tweet: "Ukraine's military is highly respected and must remain neutral. I continue to follow developments with concern." |