11:46 06.12.2016

Medvedchuk allies claim 'assassination attempt' in February 2016

3 min read
Medvedchuk allies claim 'assassination attempt' in February 2016

Kyiv's Pechersky district court has ordered the National Police of Ukraine to register a pretrial investigation based on information about preparation to murder Viktor Medvedchuk, leader of the non-governmental Ukrainian Choice organization, according to information posted on the Ukrainian Choice website, citing deputy Ukrainian Choice Chairman Vasyl Nimchenko, a parliament deputy.

"Kyiv's Pechersky district court on November 18, 2016, ordered the National Police of Ukraine to register a pretrial investigation into a criminal act – preparation for the murder of the leader of Ukrainian Choice – The Right of the People. The court in so doing ended the nine-month red-tape exercise of the National Police in reviewing statements about preparations to assassinate Viktor Medvedchuk," the post said.

The non-governmental organization said that on February 22, 2016, Medvedchuk received information that on February 18 in the House of Officers there was a closed meeting of leaders of various organizations, including leaders of the military wing of the Maidan movement, along with territorial battalions. It said parliament deputies Andriy Levus, Serhiy Vysotsky, Mykola Kniazhytsky were present at the meeting and these individuals "insisted on the speedy liquidation of Medvedchuk, based on the grounds he posed a threat for the national democratic Ukrainian state."

The assassination plans were based on personal enmity and ideological differences with Medvedchuk and connected with his participation in the Minsk peace process and his work aimed a seeking a peaceful solution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine, the post said.

"The individual who warned Medvedchuk about the danger of being assassinated did so out of gratitude for the release of his friends from captivity [in eastern Ukraine] and by the fact that on February 18, 2016, an anti-occupation forum was indeed held in the Central House of Officers," the post by Ukrainian Choice says.

The organization says these circumstances and events are basis to consider real the threat to commit the crime, which would violate Part 1 of Article 14, Part 2 of Article 115 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (preparation to commit murder).

Parliament deputies have reacted to the statement issued by Ukrainian Choice about plans to assassinate Medvedchuk. MP Levus said on his Facebook page, "I want simply to arrest him and put him in a cell with members of the Tornado [volunteer] Battalion."

Kniazhytsky said the information provided by Ukrainian Choice is "pure garbage and idiocy."

Vysotsky on his Facebook page wrote, "Oh, Medvedchuk claims I conspired with Levus and Kniazhytsky to assassinate him. Serhiy Vysotsky [is] 'Lucky Luciano.' [Sounds] great!"

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