Despite his absence in court, Yanukovych will have protection and other procedural possibilities.
The Prosecutor General’s office transferred to Pechersky court of Kiev the documents in respect of fugitive ex-President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych, said the Prosecutor General of Ukraine Yuriy Lutsenko.
“Viktor Yanukovych… will stand trial in absentia conviction. He will have protection and all procedural possibilities”, – said Lutsenko at a briefing in Kiev.
However, he noted, for consideration of the case against Yanukovych of treason should determine its jurisdiction by the Appellate court of Kiev. “The Pechersky court to consider this case can not, because a judge of that court participated in the consideration of our requests during the pretrial investigation.
The law prohibits investigative judges to participate in the consideration of the merits”, – said the Prosecutor General.
Fled to Russia Yanukovych from November 28, 2016 is a suspect in criminal proceedings under part 1 of article 111 (high treason), paragraph 5 of article 27, part 3 of article 110 (intentional complicity in acts committed with the aim of changing the boundaries of the territory and the state border of Ukraine in violation of the order established by the Constitution of Ukraine) and part 5 article 27, part 2 of article 437 (aiding in waging aggressive war) of the Criminal code of Ukraine.
February 23, the Verkhovna Rada approved in first reading amendments to the criminal procedure code. According to Yuri Lutsenko, the law “will provide an opportunity on March 10 to begin the trial of Yanukovych.” Lutsenko also said the law will allow to judge high-ranking Russian officials, such as presidential adviser Sergei Glazyev, presidential envoy in the so-called “Crimean Federal district” Oleg Belaventsev, the Russian defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and his deputies – Dmitry Bulgakov, Nikolai Pankov, chief of the General staff, first Deputy defense Minister Valery Gerasimov, who are suspected of committing war crimes.
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