10:55 25.10.2012

Melnychenko questioned, presented charges, says defense lawyer

1 min read
Melnychenko questioned, presented charges, says defense lawyer

Former officer of the State Guard Department Mykola Melnychenko has been interrogated at the Main Investigation Department of the Prosecutor General's Office and has been presented charges, Melnychenko's defense lawyer Mykola Nedilko told Interfax-Ukraine.

"He was interrogated yesterday until 2230 in the Main Investigation Department of the Prosecutor General's Office. He was presented charged. Of course, we disagree with them," the lawyer said.

He said that Melnychenko was held in the Ukrainian Security Service's temporary detention facility.

"We expect a court to choose preventive measure for him any day now," the lawyer added.

In November 2000, a tape scandal broke out in Ukraine after the parliament revealed audio recordings allegedly made by Melnychenko at the office of then president Leonid Kuchma. Melnychenko was charged with divulging state secrets, exceeding his powers and using forged documents.

In September 2011, Melnychenko was put on the wanted list. A court in Kyiv ordered his remand into custody, as Melnychenko had skipped bail and absconded.

Melnychenko was arrested in Italy on August 3. On August 14, an appellate court in Naples decided to release him.

Melnychenko was detained at Kyiv's Boryspil International Airport on October 24, where he arrived from New York.

AD
AD
AD
AD
AD