Ex-Supreme Court Head detained for 60 days

The Kyiv Independent news desk
·1 min read
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Ukraine's High Anti-Corruption Court has ordered a 60-day detention of now former Supreme Court Head Vsevolod Kniaziev, Suspilne news outlet reported on May 18.

Kniaziev, charged with corruption, will be held in custody until July 14 if he doesn't post bail set at Hr 107 million ($2.9 million).

The prosecutors had initially requested to set bail at more than Hr 150 million ($4 million), according to Suspilne, but the court only partially satisfied the request.

Earlier the same day, Ukraine's Supreme Council of Justice voted in favor of continuing the detention of Kniaziev, who was first detained by authorities on May 15.

Since Kniaziev remains a Ukrainian judge even after being dismissed from his position at the Supreme Court, the Supreme Council of Justice must have allowed his arrest.

If convicted, Kniaziev may face up to 12 years in prison. He is accused of receiving a $1.8 million bribe in exchange for the court's decision favoring Ukrainian oligarch Kostiantyn Zhevago.

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Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent. At the end of April, the Verkhovna Rada registered draft law No. 9225, which further changed the procedure for selecting judges of the
Kyiv IndependentMykhailo Zhernakov