Yet more delays in the Gongadze murder trial

The Prosecutor in the Georgy Gongadze case has asked the court to order medical assessments for three defendants. Journalists were informed of this today by the victim’s widow Myroslava Gongadze’s representative in court Valentina Telchenko.

She said that the Prosecutor had applied for psychological-psychiatric assessments on each of the defendants and a medical-psychiatric assessment on one. Apparently there were discrepancies in the previous assessment for one of the men accused.

The decision as to whether to order such assessments will be made at the next hearing on 24 July. That, as the one today, will be behind closed doors. Ms Telchenko also explained that should the coulrt agree to the assessments, in accordance with the Criminal Procedure Code, the proceedings will be suspended until they are received.

This round of what may seem to many unending hearings into the Gongadze case began in early January this year.  Three former MIA employees are charged with carrying out the killing. A fourth is on the run.

The Prosecutor General previously stated that only the first half of the case had been submitted to the court, this involving the alleged perpetrators. The other half is connected with establishing who ordered and organized the crime.  When this half may reach the courts, given such “progress” is anybody’s guess.

We would mention that Ukraine is criticized every year for the inability to solve the Gongadze murder and bring those responsible, including those who ordered the crime, to justice.

Based on information reported originally by Interfax-Ukraine

see also:
• In memory of Georgy Gongadze
• Remembering Georgy Gongadze – events in Kyiv
• Civic organizations call on Yushchenko to withdraw his recent award to Mykhailo Potebenko
• IFJ Urges Ukraine to Withdraw Honour for Prosecutor Who Botched Investigation of Journalist’s Murder
• Gongadze’s widow outraged by recent honour to Potebenko
• Prosecutor General is beginning the Gongadze investigation from scratch
• Council of Europe reminds Yushchenko of his promise