The regional center for the provision of free secondary legal assistance in Kyiv has appointed Vitaliy Meshechek as a defense lawyer for Ukraine’s ex-president (2010-2014) Viktor Yanukovych in the high treason case tried by the Kyiv Obolonsky District Court.
The decision was made on July 7, the regional center told Interfax.
The center appointed a lawyer under the ruling issued by the Kyiv Obolonsky District Court on July 6 to provide a free state defense lawyer to Viktor Yanukovych, who had refused the services of his attorneys in the high treason case.
In accordance with the center’s order, the lawyer is to arrive at the Kyiv Obolonsky District Court on 10:00 a.m. on July 12 to participate in the hearing.
On July 5, Yanukovych announced his refusal to participate in the treason trial in Ukraine and recalled his defense team from the proceedings.
His lawyer Vitaliy Serdiuk explained that once his client made such a decision – not to attend the trial and to recall his lawyers – any decisions by the Obolonskyi district of Kyiv in this case will be legally void.
According to earlier reports, Yanukovych is charged with encroachment on the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine, which led to the death of people or other grave consequences (punishable by seven to 12 years in prison), high treason (punishable by ten to 15 years in prison), and waging an aggressive war or aggressive military actions (punishable by ten to 15 years in prison).
