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Ukrainian court extends custody of Russian journalist for 60 days

Earlier on Thursday, Kirill Vyshinsky complained that the court committed gross violations when considering a request on recusing the judge

KIEV, September 6. /TASS/. The Kherson City Court extended the custody of RIA Novosti Ukraine editor-in-chief Kirill Vyshinsky for 60 days until November 4, a spokesperson for the so-called Crimean prosecutor’s office Tatyana Tikhonchik said.

"The court extended the arrest for 60 days until November 4," Tikhonchik told TASS.

Earlier on Thursday, Vyshinsky complained that the court committed gross violations when considering a request on recusing the judge.

On Wednesday, the court hearing was suspended as Vyshinsky was sent to hospital for medical examination due to complaints about bad health. Lawyer Andrei Domansky filed a motion to recuse the judge, but it was not satisfied. The court ordered to carry out the journalist’s medical examination by September 7.

Vyshinsky case

Vyshinsky was detained on May 15 in Kiev on charges of high treason and supporting the self-proclaimed Donbass republics. The charges are particularly based on a number of the journalist’s articles dedicated to the 2014 events in Crimea. If found guilty, the journalist may face up to 15 years. However, he pleaded not guilty.

The journalist, originally a Ukrainian national, obtained Russian citizenship in 2015. He addressed Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko from the courtroom, renouncing his Ukrainian citizenship and saying he considered himself to be only a Russian national. He also addressed Russian President Vladimir Putin, asking for legal assistance in his release.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry, in turn, demanded that Kiev drop all charges against the journalist and release him.