Ambassadors of 5 states including USA, Germany, Finland, Portugal, Spain, as well as Deputy Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine and representatives of the Embassies of Hungary, Romania, Czech Republic, Great Britain and Greece attended the meeting.

Investigation of the attack on Tetyana Chornovol is being conducted according to two Articles of the Criminal code of Ukraine: para 2, Article 296 (hooliganism) and para 2 Article 121 (deliberate severe bodily injury). During this investigation 5 persons have already been detained.

The court decided to detain all of them as a precautionary measure. As it results from the testimonies of one of them, he personally inflicted injuries to the victim. The crime re-enactment was staged, and it proved the fact that a criminal offense had taken place.

In accordance with a statement of the chairman of the General department for investigations, during the first hours and even before the video records from Tetyana Chornovol’s car video recorder were given to the investigation, the law enforcement officers had seized the records from all surveillance cameras installed alongside the road. The records have already been viewed and analyzed. The investigation has information about time and route of the victim’s and the assailants’ cars at the incident site. It will provide an opportunity to verify the testimonies of the suspects.

More than 50 witnesses have been questioned. Two dozens of examinations have been ordered, including fingerprint identification, trasology, cytology, DNA sampling.

At this point of time the results of chemical examination have been processed, whereby fragments of paints on both cars are completely identical. It leads to the conclusions that investigators seized the cars which have been used by the victim and suspects in criminal proceedings at the moment of the incident. The investigation also has information on involvement of another suspect in the beating whose personal data has been verified and the search for this person continues.

M.Chynchyn told the diplomats that the main goal of the investigation is to establish the role of each of the defendants in this case and potential beneficiaries of this crime.

The diplomats thanked the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the possibility to receive the information about investigation of this sensitive case at first hand and to obtain the answers on the questions of their concern.

Deputy Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine Maria Yurikova thanked the Ministry of Internal Affairs for holding the meeting and drew the attendee’s attention to the fact that freedom of speech and human rights are the founding principles of the activities of any democratic state.

We urge the Ministry of Internal Affairs do whatever it takes to clear this crime and we support all aspects of your activities to find the truth in this case, - emphasized Ms.Yurikova.

U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt assured Ukrainian law enforcement authorities that diplomatic corps realizes that the investigation should be performed clearly within the limits of the law and with observance of the relevant procedures. Also, the U.S. Ambassador asked that the investigation of the case to be under special control of the leadership of Ukraine as well as Ministry of Internal Affairs.

12/30/2013

Communications division of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine

Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine