You're reading: Court leaves Ivashchenko under arrest, next meeting scheduled for Sept 30

Kyiv's Pechersky District Court has not released former Acting Defense Minister Valeriy Ivashchenko from custody and drew the attention of the prison service to the defendant's statements about the absence of medical treatment in jail.

An Interfax-Ukraine reporter said that at a meeting on Tuesday, Ivashchenko’s defense team filed a petition to change the measure of restraint for their client to one not related to arrest.

The lawyers explained their petition by the fact that Ivashchenko’s health had significantly deteriorated, as in addition to his previous illnesses, he had contracted other illnesses during his stay in jail for over a year.

"Valeriy Ivashchenko has not been given any medical assistance for the last two months," said his lawyer, Borys Nechyporenko.

He said that the medical unit of the jail could not provide medical assistance, because it did not even have a neurologist.

"Ivaschenko is gradually becoming disabled, or he might have already become disabled… It seems that this is being done for a certain purpose," the lawyer said.

Nechyporenko suggested that this could be done so that Ivashchenko could not properly defend himself in court.

The prosecution, in turn, did not see any reason to change the measure of restraint for Ivaschenko.

Ivashchenko, while addressing the presiding judge, Serhiy Vovk, said: "I understand that you are under pressure, but you must have some sort of self-esteem."

However, the court rejected a petition to change the measure of restraint and left Ivaschenko under arrest.

The trial of Ivaschenko is currently at the stage of the interrogation of witnesses.

About ten witnesses have already been questioned, and 50 more have yet to be questioned.

The next court session on charges brought against Ivashchenko will be held at 1100 on Sept 30.

On Aug 20, 2010 the Prosecutor General’s Office opened a criminal case against Ivashchenko under Part 2, Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (abuse of power or office).

Late in November 2009, Ivaschenko signed a bailout plan concerning the sale of the property of the Defense Ministry’s state-owned enterprise Feodosiya Ship and Mechanical Plant, including strategically important infrastructure facilities.

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