Court takes Yanukovych into custody in absentia

This will help start the extradition procedure, the press service of the Office of the Prosecutor General reported on Telegram.

"On the basis of a petition filed by prosecutors of the Office of the Prosecutor General, Kyiv's Pechersky District Court on May 4, 2020, selected the measure of restraint for former President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych in the form of detention in a criminal proceeding of November 7, 2017 regarding the seizure of state power," the statement said.

The circumstances of Yanukovych's seizure of state power during September-October 2010 by committing actions to increase his powers as Ukraine's president are being investigated as part of the said criminal proceeding.

"In particular, these powers referred to the powers of the legislative and executive branches of government due to the unconstitutional reinstatement of the Constitution of Ukraine of June 28, 1996, to which amendments were introduced through Law of Ukraine No. 2222-IV of December 8, 2004 'On the introduction of amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine'," the Office of the Prosecutor General said.

According to the report, the court ruling gives the prosecution the right to initiate extradition proceedings against Yanukovych.

Prosecutors will also apply to the court for permission to conduct a special pretrial investigation (in absentia).

op