Maidan dispersal: court closes case of two ex-Berkut members
Kyiv • UNN
Dnipro court closes the case of ex-Berkut officers Betliy and Kozachyshyn over Maidan dispersal due to expiration of the statute of limitations.
The Dnipro court closed the case of ex-Berkut members Vadym Betliy and Oleh Kozachyshyn regarding the dispersal of Maidan on November 30, 2013 due to the expiration of the statute of limitations. UNN reports with reference to the Lawyers' Advisory Group.
13.12.23 Dnipro court closes the case of ex-Berkut members Vadym Betliy and Oleh Kozachyshyn over the dispersal of Maidan on November 30, 2013. The statute of limitations for prosecution has expired.
Details
It is reported that in its decision, the court did not assess the evidence and did not establish the guilt of the accused. The Lawyers' Advisory Group recalled that the case was transferred to the Pechersk Court in 2020. After a series of challenges, it was transferred to another court. Since March 2021, the case has been heard by Judge Iryna Halyha of the Dnipro Court. There is one victim in the case.
On 4.12.2023, the defendants were to be interrogated in the Dnipro court. This is the final stage before the debate in the case. However, the prosecution filed a motion to close the case due to the expiration of the statute of limitations - 10 years since the events of the Maidan dispersal. On December 13, 2023, Judge Iryna Halyha ruled to close the case.
According to the investigation, in 2013, Vadym Betliy and Oleh Kozachyshyn were police officers of the 1st division of the 2nd platoon of the 4th operational company of the Kyiv Berkut. They were accused of executing a clearly criminal order, by prior conspiracy, by a group of people.
Betliy and Kozachyshyn were charged with medium-sized crimes - obstructing a peaceful action and falsifying a report - for which the statute of limitations expired in 2018. And a serious crime - abuse of power by a law enforcement officer - the statute of limitations for which expired on November 30, 2023.
After this period, the defendants filed a corresponding motion. The court closed the case due to non-exculpatory circumstances. That is, it did not acquit the defendants. But it also did not rule that their guilt was proven.
Addendum
A former police lieutenant colonel was sentenced in absentia to 10 years in prison with compensation for the cost of weapons worth over UAH 677,000 for organizing the escape of the Berkut "black company" involved in the killings on February 20, 2014, on Instytutska Street in Kyiv, as well as for destroying their weapons.
