Government appeal of Poroshenko release postponed again

The Feb. 3 hearing on the government’s appeal against
the court decision to release former
president Petro Poroshenko on his own recognizance was delayed again. One of
the judges fell ill, and the hearing is postponed until Mar. 9.

Poroshenko is accused of state treason and funding
terrorist activity for his role in the purchase of coal from the currently
occupied territories in 2014-2015. His supposed co-conspirator, Viktor
Medvedchuk, remains under house arrest.

James Hydzik: The joke in Kyiv is that usually, when there’s a court date, the
defendant falls ill, but when Poroshenko’s on the dock, the judge falls ill.
The delays are likely to continue until the actual trial begins. In the
meantime, Poroshenko still cannot leave Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast without
permission, and he has handed over his passport.