Maidan massacre: Court permits investigation against Yanukovych in absentia

As the Prosecutor General’s Office reports, the Pechersk District Court of Kyiv granted the motion by the State Bureau of Investigation requesting to allow a special pre-trial investigation against former president into criminal proceedings over organizing a number of serious and especially serious violent crimes, including premeditated murders committed against protesters in Kyiv center in February 2014.

As the ex-president is hiding from the investigation and court in the territory of the aggressor state, the Russian Federation, such a court ruling entitles the prosecution to conduct a pre-trial investigation against Yanukovych in absentia.

"According to the investigation, the former head of state, wanting to stop mass protests that threatened his stay in power, using the existing powers of the President of Ukraine, acting in an organized group with the former chief of the Security Service of Ukraine and interior minister, organized the use of special means, military equipment, firearms for violent counteraction and crackdown on protesters by law enforcement officers without proper grounds and in violation of the current legislation no later than February 18, 2014. Such actions led to mass casualties among protesters in the central part of Kyiv from February 18 to February 20, 2014, including the murders of 62 people," reads the statement.

The suspect is charged with organizing illegal obstruction of rallies, marches, abuse of power and official authority by law enforcement officials, premeditated murders and attempted murders, infliction of intentional grievous bodily harm, and the organization of a terrorist act along with law enforcement officers and other former officials from February 18 to February 20, 2014.

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