Court extends Yefremov's arrest until Nov 20

Starobilsk District Court in Luhansk region has satisfied a petition by the prosecutor's office to extend the detention of former Party of Regions faction leader Oleksandr Yefremov for 60 days.

The respective decision was announced by presiding judge Oleksandr Pelykh on Friday, Radio Liberty reports.

"The court considers it necessary to extend the term of Yefremov's detention for 60 days, in particular, until November 20, 2017 inclusive," he said.

At the same time, the judge said that a measure of restraint in the form of personal recognizance, bail and house arrest could not be applied to persons suspected or accused under some articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

On January 4, 2017, the Prosecutor General's Office sent an indictment against Yefremov to the court. He is accused of organizing the seizure of the building of Luhansk Regional State Administration, aiding to seize the building of the Ukrainian Security Service's office in Luhansk region, committing intentional actions in order to change the boundaries of the territory and state border of Ukraine, providing organizational support for the creation and activity of the "LPR" group, and treason. 

Yefremov was detained on July 30, 2016 at Boryspil airport, from where he, according to the Prosecutor General's Office, tried to fly out to Vienna. On January 13, 2017, Yefremov from convoyed from Kyiv to Starobilsk, where he currently stays under arrest.

op