Ukrainian Pro-EU Activist Remanded Into Pretrial Detention

A protester speaks to the crowd at a rally in Kyiv for the release of the last detained "Euromaidan" demonstrator, Yaroslav Prytulenko.

KYIV -- A pro-EU activist in Ukraine who was arrested last month on charges of involvement in mass disorders has been remanded into custody.

Kyiv's Pechera District Court ruled on January 8 that Yaroslav Prytulenko must remain in detention and that a presidential decree on releasing individuals detained during peaceful demonstrations cannot be applied since the wording of the decree is unclear.

Prytulenko was one of nine activists arrested after clashes with security forces in front of the presidential office in Kyiv last month.

The other eight have been released after journalists and the opposition challenged their arrests.

Prytulenko's supporters protested outside the court building , chanting, "A government of idiots is jailing the patriots!"

Protests in Kyiv began in late November after the government walked away from signing an EU Association Agreement.