Kyiv court recesses hearing of Yanukovych high treason case over his lawyers' obstruction
KYIV. Aug 16 (Interfax) - Kyiv's Obolonsky District Court has once again announced a recess in the hearing of former President Viktor Yanukovych's high treason case to establish order in the proceedings on Thursday.
After the hearing was resumed earlier in the day with Yanukovych's private lawyers in attendance, the court started considering his motion in which he officially declined state-appointed lawyer Yury Ryabovol's services.
Yanukovych's lawyers asked the court to grant this motion, and Ryabovol himself supported them as well. "I would ask you to review the court ruling of August 1, 2018, which directly orders ensuring uninterrupted engagement of an appointed lawyer, namely me, in the proceedings, which does not comply with the law," Ryabovol said.
Prosecutors objected, and the court ultimately dismissed the motion by Yanukovych's lawyers on declining lawyer Ryabovol's services. Judge Vladyslav Devyatko said in his resolution that the ex-president's lawyers have committed multiple procedural violations and often abused the right to defense throughout the proceedings.
At the same time, the judge stressed that the court did not order dismissing Yanukovych's private lawyers from the proceedings.
After that, the court allowed the prosecutors to present their case in the debates, but the lawyers started shouting and interrupting them.
"Considering that Viktor Yanukovych's defense lawyers are taking steps aimed at disrupting the judicial proceedings, the court instructs the administrator of the proceedings and the National Police to ensure order both in the courtroom and outside it. In particular, the court asks for removing any equipment which it didn't allow using and which obstructs the prosecutor from exercising his right to speak in judicial debates and the court from conducting the proceedings," Devyatko said.