You're reading: Interpol: Melnychenko’s extradition procedure continues, his arrest not in question

The Italian authorities will not ask for the arrest of Mykola Melnychenko, a former officer from the Department of the State Guard of Ukraine, whereas the procedure of his extradition to Ukraine continues.

“The procedure of Melnychenko’s extradition continues. The Italian authorities will not raise any questions about the continuation of the provisional arrest of Melnychenko,” Interpol said.

The agency’s interlocutor also said that Melnychenko has a refugee status in the U.S. and he is under the witness protection program. Therefore, Italy’s law enforcement agencies believe there is no need to keep him in custody.

It was reported that Melnychenko was arrested in Italy on August 3. On August 6, a court in Naples adjourned a hearing over Melnychenko’s extradition case after receiving his request not to be extradited. On August 14, an appellate court in Naples decided to release Mykola Melnychenko, a former officer from the Department of the State Guard of Ukraine.

In November 2000, a tape scandal broke out in Ukraine after the parliament revealed audio recordings allegedly made by Melnychenko at the office of then president Leonid Kuchma. Melnychenko was charged with divulging a state secret, exceeding powers and using forged documents.

In September 2011, Melnychenko was put on a wanted list. A court in Kyiv ordered his remand into custody since Melnychenko skipped his bail and absconded.

Earlier Melnychenko said he was ready to provide information about the 1996 murder of MP Yevhen Scherban to his son, the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office and lawyers for ex-prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko who is suspected of being involved in this crime. If his recordings are of no interest to the Ukrainian authorities, Melnychenko will be ready to hand them over to the FBI or Israeli secret services, he said.