• Topics / Human Rights Violations associated with EuroMaidan
Kyiv judge who didn’t remand 4 student protesters loses her post
The High Council of Justice has effectively dismissed the only Kyiv judge who applied house arrest rather than remanding peaceful protesters in custody for two months. On Jan 22 Iryna Mamontova, head of the Obolon District Court in Kyiv imposed house arrest on four students of the Kyiv National University of Theatre, Cinema and Television who were charged without any evidence with involvement in the Jan 19 disturbances on Hrushevsky St.
She was the only judge in all such cases to apply house arrest rather than two month periods of detention.
Head of the High Council of Justice and former Justice Minister, Oleksandr Lavrynovych announced the decision stating that the removal was at Mamontova’s own wish, though this is rather the formulation used in such cases.
As reported, seven theatre or cinema students were arrested in the early hours of Jan 20 when returning from Maidan Nezalezhnosti. One was released, the others detained initially for 72 with their top clothes being taken away to be tested for gas. They are accused of involvement in the disturbances on Hrushevsky St which began the day before, although there appears to be no evidence at all of such involvement.
Judge Mamontova applied the Criminal Procedure Code appropriately, i.e. without using the most extreme preventive measure of detention without need.
Yury Khrobust; Andriy Kotlyar; Vadym Kovalev and Danylo Okulov were placed under house arrest for two months.
Andriy Ivanyuk and Oleksandr Shkrabak were remanded in custody for a month in court hearings at the Desnyansky District Court.