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Kiev court refuses to subpoena ex-President Yanukovich via Russia’s Justice Ministry

Kiev’s court has denied a request from the defense attorneys of the former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich to organize a video conference

Viktor Yanukovich Dmitriy Serebriakov/TASS

Viktor Yanukovich

© Dmitriy Serebriakov/TASS

KIEV, May 18. /TASS/. Kiev’s Obolonsky District Court has denied a request from the defense attorneys of the former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich to organize a video conference with him through the international legal assistance procedure. A decision on the issue was made on Thursday.

"Concerning international legal assistance to subpoena the defendant and filing a request with the Russian Ministry of Justice and the Rostov Regional Court, the court ruled to deny (the defense attorneys') request," the judge announced.

At the same time, the court granted part of the defense’s motion requesting clarification for the previous decision of May 4, which entertained a request for the former Ukrainian president to participate in a trial via video conference. "To grant the petition and provide explanations," the judge said.

According to Yanukovich’s defense attorney Vitaly Serdyuk, organizing a video conference without explanations is impossible, since it is necessary to clarify a number of issues, including how the identity of the ex-president will be established during the video conference.

The lawyer also asked for a break in the trial to convey the court’s position to his client, but it was turned down.

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