Lutsenko continues hunger strike, wants to attend hearings

Ukraine's ex-interior minister Yuriy Lutsenko insists that he be allowed to attend the hearings of his case at Kyiv Pechersky Court next week, Lutsenko's wife Iryna said. "Lutsenko wrote a letter to the commander of the security guard regiment and the chief physician of Kyiv's emergency medicine clinic demanding that he be allowed to attend the hearings," Iryna said after seeing her husband at a the hospital on Thursday, according to the People's Self-Defense party.

Lutsenko is aware of his condition and of his responsibility for it, she said.

"He remains in serious condition. He is losing weight and remains in bed. But he is saving strength to attend the hearings and allowed doctors to put him on a amino-acid, lipid and glucose drip to lower the acetone levels in the blood," Iryna said.

"Thanks to all sympathizers, he continues his hunger strike, using water alone," she said.

Lutsenko has been in detention since Dec. 26, 2010.

He is charged with taking possession of large amounts of state property by abuse of power and abuse of office resulting in grave consequences and considerable damage to the lawful rights of citizens.

The pre-trial investigation into the criminal case against Lutsenko and three other former Interior Ministry officials revealed on Jan. 28, 2010 that the suspects have inflicted damage on the state in an amount of over Hr 970,000.