11 Jul 2018 20:18

Kherson court extends Vyshinsky's arrest by 2 months

KYIV. July 11 (Interfax) - The Ria Novosti Ukraine editor-in-chief Kirill Vyshinsky will remain in custody for another 60 days, the Kherson city court has ruled.

"Kherson City Court has just granted the petition filed by the [Kyiv-based] Crimean prosecutor's office and the Crimean branch of Ukraine's Security Service to extend the custody period for Kirill Vyshinsky suspected of high treason and illegal possession of a firearm. The suspect will remain in custody until September 13," Deputy Crimean Prosecutor Ihor Ponochovnyi wrote on his Facebook page on Wednesday evening.

Vyshinsky, who is a dual Russian and Ukrainian citizen, was held on suspicion of treason in Kyiv on May 15, 2018.

On May 16 Vyshinsky was brought to Kherson where the court on May 17 remanded him in custody until July 13. On May 21 his defense team appealed against the arrest at the Kherson region's appellate court. On June 1 the court rejected the appeal.

Meanwhile, on July 6 Larysa Sarhan, a spokeswoman for the Ukrainian Prosecutor General, said that Vyshinsky had been notified of being suspected of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Searches of Vyshinsky's individual safe deposit boxes at a bank led to the discovery and seizure of a pistol and cartridges, Sarhan said. The pistol was a FN Browning M1906 semi-automatic.