Defendant on hunger strike in Dnipropetrovsk bomb trial taken ill

On Thursday Viktor Sukachev, one of the two men accused of planting four bombs which exploded in Dnipropetrovsk on 27 April 2012, was taken ill in court and an ambulance team needed to  be called.  Mr Sukachev has been on hunger strike for two weeks. He began it after the court for the tenth time refused to release Dmitry Reva, one of the two men charged with being “accomplices”.   His hunger strike is in protest at the continued remand in custody of both Reva and Lev Prosvirnin, and at violations of the Criminal Procedure Code during the trial.

Mr Sukachev’s lawyer, Oleksandr Shyshkin says that his client is only drinking water. The SIZO [remand unit] administration told the court that Viktor Sukachev was able to take part in the hearings, and after the doctors found that he had very low blood pressure, and gave him an injection, the trial continued.  His lawyer, however, says that he is concerned about Mr Sukachev’s state of health.

Two men – Viktor Sukachev and Vitaly Fedoryak – are accused of organizing and planting the bombs in an extortion attempt.  

There are many grounds for concern over the case, not least the fluctuating motives claimed, with a political motive over hovering near the service or fully articulated.  

As reported here, there is particular concern over the charges against Dmitry Reva which quite simply lack any elements of a crime (see Missing Components).

New information and the photo from a report at UNIAN