The judicial authorities in Italy decided on March 29 to put the former head of Kharkiv Regional State Administration and leader of the regional branch of the Batkivschyna Party, Arsen Avakov, into custody for 40 days, the media relations department of the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine has reported.
On Tuesday, March 27, reports of Avakov’s detention in Italy were confirmed. The Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office said that it was preparing a package of documents for Avakov’s extradition to Ukraine. In this regard, the leadership of the Batkivschyna Party sent letters to the Interpol secretary general and the Italian government with a request to take into account "the obvious political motivation" behind Avakov’s criminal prosecution, and release him.
On January 31, charges were brought against Avakov under Part 3, Article 365 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. He was accused of illegally transferring 55 hectares of land
On March 20, 2012, Chervonozavodsky court refused to cancel an instruction on the opening of a criminal case against Avakov.. Avakov was put on Interpol’s wanted list on March 21.
Avakov headed Kharkiv Regional State Administration from February 2004 until February 2010. He chairs the Kharkiv regional organization of the Batkivschyna Party.
