27 January 2014,   23:08
Translated by Kotka Verbena
Freely rendered from: http://www.pravda.com.ua/columns/2014/01/27/7011587/

Today a lot of news featured headlines about the imposition of emergency state. Until recently we all have associated emergency state mostly with the curfew and closed bars and discos. However, looking into this law it seems like the emergency state means absolute freedom of action for the Ministries of Internal and External Affairs, police and military troops and at the same time imposes harsh restrictions on us, citizens.

Here are the measures that can be taken, according to the 16th Article of Ukrainian Criminal law:
• restriction on the freedom of travelling, entering and exiting the territory upon which the emergency state is imposed
• restriction on passing of transport vehicles and a right to examine them strengthening of public security, especially of the objects which are of vital importance for the public wellbeing prohibition of mass meetings and rallies
•prohibition of strikes
•forceful disposal or seizure of property from private and legal entities

Additional measures (18th Article):

• a curfew is established (prohibition of being on the street or in public places without a specifically issued certificate or ID during certain hours)
• performance of ID check on citizens, where necessary – check of possessions, transport vehicles, luggage and load, offices or private property
• prohibition of printing and circulation of informational materials that can destabilize the situation
regulation of functioning of civil TV and radio channels and amateur radio transmitters
• special rules for communication and information transfer via computer networks
• raising the issue of dismissal of political parties and non-govermenmental organizations, in accordance with the Constitution, in the interests of national security and public order, protection of people’s health or other people’s and rights and freedoms.

The emergency state has to be proclaimed by the President’s decree, voted by Parliament and announced in the media. 

Some journalists claim that an emergency state can further destabilize an existing situation as its introduction means harsher measures against protesters and more reasons for enjailing them. They think it can also cause further divide in the country. I guess we just have to wait and see.