Supreme Court head Vasyl Onopenko on Feb. 28 said former government officials currently being held in pretrial confinement may be set free pending trial, if they promise not to leave Kyiv.
“There are several cases where defendants [in pretrial detention] are still acquainting themselves with the charges made against them. After this stage of the pretrial process ends, law-enforcement officials will decide whether to release them or not. I think there will be others [former officials] released from pretrial detention,” Onopenko said, referring to the decision on Feb. 15 to release his son in law, Serhiy Kornyichuk, former deputy Justice Minister, pending trial.
Former Interior Minister Yuriy Lutsenko, Former deputy Naftogaz chief Ihor Didenko, former Customs Chief Anatoliy Makarenko, former Environment Minister Heorhiy Filipchuk and former acting Defense Minister Valeriy Ivashchenko remain in pretrial detention. Most of the former officials are accused of abuse of office.
Onopenko, who said he mentioned the criminal case opened against his daughter and Kornyichuk on Feb. 14 during his meeting with President Viktor Yanukovych, denied he is being pressured.
"I serve the law and the Constitution," Onopenko said. "I can’t be swayed." He added that Yanukovych was "upset" when he told him that his daughter’s apartment was searched.
The president, according to Onopenko, is well aware of problems with the nation’s judicial system.
"[Yanukovych] is very upset by the situation that has developed in courts. He, as the head of state, understands when the rights and liberties of citizens are not defended in the nation’s courts, people petition the European Court of Human Rights," Onopenko said.
