Several criminal cases have been opened against Volodymyr Derkach, a candidate from the united opposition in the 41st single-member district in Donetsk, the press service of the Batkivschyna Party has reported.
Criminal cases were opened after the publication of the lists of the Batkivschyna united opposition.
According to the press service, on Friday Derkach was called in for
questioning to the Proletarsky district department of police.
The united opposition said that Derkach was an active participant in a
hunger strike of Chornobyl cleanup workers in Donetsk and that a
criminal case had been opened against him.
“Derkach was charged with forging documents that helped him obtain
the status of being a victim of the [Chornobyl] disaster,” reads the
statement.
The united opposition believes that attempts to trump up a case
against Derkach on the status of a Chornobyl cleanup worker failed, “the
authorities decided to open a new, totally senseless case, accusing the
opposition member of beating up a student last month.”
The press service said that Derkach has nothing to do with these
criminal cases and is a law-abiding citizen, who is persecuted only
because of his opposition activities.
“The Batkivschyna united opposition is demanding that the authorities
close all trumped-up cases against Derkach and stop the political
persecution of political candidates,” reads the statement.
