Controversial Ukrainian politician Viktor Medvedchuk cannot erase his shameful role, as a Soviet state-appointed lawyer, in the political trial of the great Ukrainian poet Vasyl Stus, but he is trying to silence those who write about the part he played. The startling ruling by the Darnytsky District Court in Kyiv on Oct. 19, prohibiting the circulation of the book ‘Vasyl Stus Case’ by Vakhtang Kipiani, probably demonstrated Medvedchuk’s considerable influence in Ukraine, but only increased interest in the latter’s treatment of Stus, with all copies of the books sold out within an hour and a further 3,500 print run announced. The lawyer representing Kipiani is also fairly confident that the ban will be overturned at the appeal stage, and will therefore never come into effect.
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Halya Coynash: Ukrainian court ban on book about Stus trial
Viktor Medvedchuk (L), Vasyl Stus (R).
