Protests held in Kyiv and Lviv against bill curbing powers of NABU, SAPO

This was reported by Espreso correspondents Iryna Mykhailenko and Maksym Halashko.

More than a thousand Ukrainians gathered in Kyiv near the Ivan Franko National Drama Theater to protest the parliament’s decision to pass draft law No. 12414, which restricts the powers of National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO).

Protesters also rallied in Lviv near the Taras Shevchenko monument to oppose the law passed by the Verkhovna Rada.

Participants held signs reading: "We demand a veto of the bill," "Yanukovych ended badly," "12414 – number of betrayal," and others.

The protesters are calling on the President to hear them and veto the draft law.

Protest in Kyiv against the bill – photo: Yuriy Bondar / Espreso

Participants of the protest against draft law No. 12414 – photo: Tetiana Yavorska / Espreso

Protest in Lviv against the bill – photo: Tetiana Yavorska / Espreso

• On July 22, members of the Verkhovna Rada voted in favour of a bill that limits the powers of NABU and SAPO by subordinating them to the Prosecutor General.