You're reading: Court extends arrest for five defendants in case on May 2 events in Odesa

ODESA – The Illichivsk City Court (Chornomorsk, Odesa region) has granted a motion of the prosecutor’s office to extend the detention of five defendants, including two Russian citizens, in the case on the events of May 2, 2014 on Hretska Square in Odesa for another 30 days.

The judges issued a relevant ruling taking into account the prosecution’s arguments that after leaving the custody, the defendants may try to flee or put pressure on witnesses, an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent reported.

In addition, in response to a relevant request by defense lawyers, the court issued a ruling banning persons not related to the case, except relatives of the accused, representatives of the media and the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission, to be present in the courtroom.