Hundreds protest outside interior ministry at the attack on Tetyana Chernovil, who wrote about minister's luxury house

This article is more than 6 years old

This article is more than 6 years old

A prominent Ukrainian civic activist and journalist was brutally beaten outside Kiev on Wednesday, the latest in a string of attacks on activists and opposition members amid weeks of protests calling for the removal of president Viktor Yanukovych and his cabinet.

Hundreds of journalists and opposition activists gathered outside the interior ministry headquarters in Kiev on Wednesday, demanding the resignation of the minister, Vitali Zakharchenko, after the attack on Tetyana Chernovil.

Some held pictures of Chernovil, who has been one of the leaders of mass demonstrations that have rocked the Ukrainian capital for more than a month since Yanukovych decided to scrap a deal with the EU in favour of forging stronger ties with Russia.

Chernovil has written for Ukrainska Pravda and other pro-opposition media.

"Shame! Shame!" yelled the demonstrators, some of whom held pictures of Chernovil's battered, bruised and swollen face.

Chernovil, 34, was attacked as she was driving home. Her car was cornered by a four-wheel-drive. When she tried to flee, she was beaten by several men. Chernovil sustained a concussion, as well as fractures to her nose and face, said her husband Mykola Berezovy.

The attack took place hours after an article by Chernovil was published alleging a posh suburban residence was being built for Zakharchenko.

The protesters have been demanding Zakharchenko's resignation after a violent crackdown on a small rally last month left dozens injured. They have also accused Zakharchenko and other members of Yanukovych's inner circle of profiting while other Ukrainians suffer.

Yanukovych is accused of illegally appropriating a giant estate outside Kiev and building a palatial complex. He denies owning the estate and says he only occupies a small house on its territory.

Chernovil unsuccessfully ran for parliament on the opposition ticket last year.

In the run-up to the election last summer, she broke into Yanukovych's heavily guarded palatial residence in an attempt to expose corruption there.

Yanukovych condemned the attack on Wednesday and ordered a thorough investigation.

The US embassy said in a statement: "We express our concern at a strikingly similar series of events over the last few weeks, targeting individuals, property, and political activity."

The opposition leader and world boxing champion Vitali Klitschko accused the authorities of trying to intimidate opposition activists and called for a nationwide boycott of the government.

"They want to paralyse people with fear. This is not going to happen," Klitschko said.

The attack on Chernovil is the latest in a series against activists.

On Tuesday Dmytro Pylypets, an organiser of opposition protests in the eastern city of Kharkiv, was beaten and stabbed by unknown assailants.

Members of the watchdog group Road Control, which has accused Ukraine's traffic police of corruption, also say they have been subjected to more attacks since they started helping protesters in the sprawling protest encampments in Kiev.

In recent weeks, two of their activists were arrested, one was beaten and another one was shot after he refused to disclose information on the group.

Oleksandra Matveichuk, head of the Centre for Civic Freedoms, said the harassment of activists went to the heart of the anti-government protests.

"Here we are witnessing clear politically motivated persecution in various ways," Matveichuk said.

"If people who defend human rights are attacked ... it means we can no longer speak of any democracy. The line has been crossed."