Much thinner Yury Lutsenko to undergo medical examination

The Pechersky District Court on Monday allowed an application from the lawyers representing the former Minister of Internal Affairs for another medical examination.  Lutsenko will be examined by the same doctors who examined him the last time.

The application said that Mr Lutsenko complains of constant stomach pain and has lost 26 kilograms. Over the three months since he ended his hunger strike his weight has virtually not increased.

Judge Vovk however rejected Lutsenko’s application for Serhiy Voichenko who head the investigation team on his case to be called as witness. Lutsenko demanded his appearance to explain why “the transcripts of the questioning of aggrieved parties in the case at the Prosecutor General’s Office do not coincide with the explanations they have provided in court, and why the investigator dictated their statements to them”.

Judge Vovk asserted that it was premature to call him, but said that this could be considered at a later stage.

http://www.interfax.com.ua/ukr/main/77769/

Lutsenko was arrested in late December by 11 Special Force Alfa officers when walking his dog.  The criminal investigation had been initiated in November and Lutsenko gave a signed undertaking not to leave his place of residence.  He did not do so and any reasons given for his remand in custody were seriously questionable.  Concern over the charges against him has also been expressed both in Ukraine and abroad, most recently in the second report by the Danish Helsinki Committee of Human Rights: