Yury Lutsenko’s trial continues

The trial continued on Monday 20 June of Yury Lutsenko, former Minister of Internal Affairs and leader of the People’s Self-Defence Party who has been held in custody since December 2010 on charges that have drawn serious criticism from Ukrainian and international observers.  The hearings are presided over by Judge Serhiy Vovk whom Lutsenko has twice sought to have removed.

During today’s hearing, the court refused to allow Hennady Moskal, National Deputy [MP] to act as Yury Lutsenko’s defence counsel [zakhysnyk].  The Prosecutor’s representative objected saying that they had tried to call Moskal as a witness, but he refused.  Lutsenko’s response was that this was “cynical lies” and told them to look at volume 17 where they would find the transcript of Moskal’s questioning.

Yury Lutsenko’s request for a month’s postponement in order that his lawyer could study the material, was also rejected.  The lawyer, Oleksy Bahanets has been given only 10 days to familiarize himself with 52 volumes.

In the afternoon, Lutsenko’s application to be released from custody was yet again rejected. In response Lutsenko called for the Prosecutor General, V. Pshonka, his first Deputy, tR. Kuzmin, the former Head of the Central Investigation Department on Particularly Serious Cases, O. Kalifitsky and the investigator Serhiy Voichenko to be called as witnesses. He said that he had evidence that those people took unlawful decisions regarding his detention and remand in custody.  He alleged that Kuzmin had, several days before his arrest, told him how the case would go and said that he was therefore an important witness. This application was also rejected.

From reports on Ukrainska Pravda