The United Nations say in a report on the human rights situation in Ukraine that corruption, a lack of independence of the judiciary and a lack of free elections were among the root causes of popular protests that took place in Ukraine from November to February.
Tuesday's report says 121 people — the majority of them protesters — died during the protests and there were also numerous accounts of torture and ill-treatment of protesters.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights also reported that in Crimea it found credible allegations of harassment, arbitrary arrests and torture targeting activists and journalists who did not support the March 16 referendum.
The report is based on the findings of Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ivan Simonovic.