Court permits pre-trial inquiry in absentia in Yanukovych case

Pechersky District Court of Kyiv has granted permission for a pre-trial investigation in absentia against former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, former SBU Chief Oleksandr Yakymenko and former Deputy SBU Chief Volodymyr Totsky, the prosecutor general's spokeswoman, Larysa Sarhan, has reported on Facebook.

"Pechersky District Court of Kyiv granted permission to conduct a special (in absentia) pre-trial investigation concerning former President Viktor Yanukovych, former SBU Chief Oleksandr Yakymenko and former Deputy SBU Chief Volodymyr Totsky," she said.

She reported that prosecutors would soon consider similar petitions against three other persons involved in the criminal proceedings - former Interior Minister Vitaliy Zakharchenko, former Deputy Interior Minister Viktor Ratushniak and former deputy head of the Public Security Police of the Main Directorate of the Ukrainian Interior Ministry in Kyiv Petro Fedchuk.

"The issue concerns the events during Euromaidan [protests] on February 18-20, 2014. All six suspects in the criminal proceedings are on the wanted list, evading trial and investigation," she added.

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