The HACC panel of judges refused to prohibit Kniazev from traveling outside the Kyiv region and Kyiv without the permission of the prosecutor or court.
On July 17, the HACC extended the terms of the duties of the former Supreme Court chair, requiring him to appear before the court prosecutor upon request, not leave Ukraine without permission from the prosecutor or court, refrain from communicating with witnesses, surrender passports for international travel, and notify authorities of any change in residence or workplace.
The prosecutor asked the court to prohibit Kniazev from leaving the borders of Kyiv and the Kyiv region without the permission of the court or the prosecutor. In support of that, he cited Kniazev’s recent trip near the Ukrainian border. In his opinion, this indicates a significant risk that the former Supreme Court chair may evade punishment.
In his speech, the prosecutor also mentioned another figure in this case: Kostiantyn Zhevaho, who was recently arrested in absentia. The prosecutor believes that Zhevaho can finance Kniazev’s evasion from the court and pre-trial investigation bodies.
The defense claimed that after the last meeting, Kniazev planned a recreational trip while on vacation. The lawyers also pointed out that Kniazev bought a round-trip ticket, indicating his intention to return. The judges questioned why tickets were purchased from Kyiv to Uzhhorod while the car with ex-chair Kniazev was stopped near Solotvyno.
Kniazev explained that his friend, who lives in Uzhhorod, booked the hotel, and he was unaware of their vacation destination. “When I saw the barbed wire, I realized that we were somewhere near the border,” Kniazev said.
The defense also presented information from the Booking app, clearly showing that the hotel was booked from July 10 to 14.
Vsevolod Kniazev claimed that according to the HACC ruling dated May 27, he had the right to move freely within the territory of Ukraine without needing permission from the prosecutor or the court. But he was quite careless, as he didn’t check where the village of Solotvyno was located. He thought it was somewhere in the mountains.
After stopping at the checkpoint, officials from the State Border Service contacted NABU and SAPO, who confirmed that there were no complaints against him. However, SAPO may still have had complaints regarding the court session.
This way, Kniazev will be able to travel freely within Ukraine in the future without needing permission from the prosecutor or the court. The court also instructed Kniazev to be more careful when traveling. Furthermore, the prosecutor can file a motion to impose an additional obligation, such as prohibiting visits to Ukraine’s border zones.
It’s noteworthy that Kniazev announced a new trip to Odesa. We will continue to monitor the case.
The prosecutor asked the court to prohibit Kniazev from leaving the borders of Kyiv and the Kyiv region without the permission of the court or the prosecutor. In support of that, he cited Kniazev's recent trip near the Ukrainian border. In his opinion, this indicates a significant risk that the former Supreme Court chair may evade punishment.
