The Appeals Chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court has chosen in absentia detention for the former MP Lohvynskyi

The Appeals Chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court has chosen in absentia detention for the former MP Lohvynskyi

On May 29, the Appeals Chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC Appeals Chamber) ruled for in absentia detention regarding former Member of Parliament from the "People’s Front" party, Heorhiy Lohvynskyi.

This was reported by the HACC Appeals Chamber, the Anti-Corruption Action Center, and the NGO Transparency International Ukraine.

The appeal satisfied the prosecutor’s appeal against the ruling of the HACC judge who denied the in absentia arrest of the former MP. He is accused of embezzling 54 million UAH by misleading the European Court of Human Rights.

The HACC Appeals Chamber annulled the ruling of the investigating judge and issued a new one, according to which Lohvynskyi was remanded in custody. In addition, the court dismissed the defence’s appeals.

The prosecutor requested the annulment of the ruling and the issuance of a new one, choosing custody as a measure of restraint for Lohvynskyi. The defence opposed the prosecutor’s motion and requested changes to the reasoning part of the ruling, claiming that the suspicion is unfounded.

The decision came into legal force upon proclamation and is not subject to cassation appeal.

Overall, the issue of Lohvynskyi’s in absentia arrest has been addressed since August 2023. The final appeal hearing has been ongoing since November 2024.

The NABU and SAPO were able to notify Lohvynskyi of the suspicion only in 2023 due to the cessation of immunity, but prior to this, the former MP left Ukraine, thus the suspicion and detention are in absentia.

The full text of the ruling will be announced on June 3, 2025.