After activist and journalist Tetyana Chornovil was beaten on Wednesday night shortly after publishing an anti-political post on her blog, protestors in Kiev called for the interior minister of Ukraine's resignation, Reuters reported.
Chornovil, 34, who is known for reporting on the Ukraine's political elite and their extravagant lifestyle was chased down in her vehicle and violently beaten, according to Reuters. The attack and no government action caused protesters who were slowly lessening to march at the Interior Ministry in the capital.
Ukraine recently signed a $15 billion bailout this month with Moscow and the protesters who wanted closer ties with the European Union have been occupying central Kiev, Reuters reported.
In a press release, the United States said the beating is disturbing and that Washington and their European allies will be monitoring the situation closely.
"The United States expresses its grave concern over an emerging pattern of targeted violence and intimidation towards activists and journalists who participated in or reported on the EuroMaidan protests," the press release by Jen Psaki said. "The violent beating of journalist Tatiana Chornovol is particularly disturbing."
Chornovil has actively protested and gained notoriety in 2012 when she photographed Ukrainian politician Viktor Yanukovych's home and posted it on her blog," Reuters reported. Her most recent target was Vitaliy Yuriyovych Zakharchenko, a Ukrainian politician, whose home she photographed and captioned "Here lives the executioner."
"When a very, very posh car is ramming you first on the side, then from behind, then from the front you understand that they've been paid already for your life," Chornovil told local television station Channel 5,according to Reuters.
"I am a Revolution activist ... and I am very well known as a journalist, I've made a number of journalistic investigations which ... are irritating them (government officials)," she added, according to Reuters.
Noting the OSCE commitments held by Ukraine, the U.S. called on the government to keep with the agreement they made, Reuters reported.
"We call on the Government of Ukraine to uphold its OSCE commitments and ensure respect for human rights, including fundamental freedoms of expression and assembly, the rule of law, and democratic principles," Psaki said in the statement.
Psaki also said Ukraine's government should make sure protesters human rights nee to be upheld and that the government needs to send an "unequivocal message" that these types of actions will not be accepted, Reuters reported. Ukraine officials reported they had three suspects in custody on Thursday.
