Judge Vladislav Deviatko noted that Yanukovych's lawyers had notified the court a day prior about their business trip to Moscow and inability to attend the court hearing, stressing that this was the thirteenth time in a row that this has happened.
Vitaly Serdyuk, one of the ex-president's lawyers, said that his legal team would ask for the recusal of the Obolonsky District Court's judges, over their apparent refusal to listen to witness testimonies. He added that his team would attend the next hearing on April 18, adding that several witnesses would be questioned duing the court session.
"Of course, such documents [on recusal] have been prepared, the same documents are being prepared by witnesses… We see that the court is not interested in questioning our witnesses," Serdyuk told the 112 Ukrainian news channel.
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In late June 2017, the court initiated a review of the Yanukovych case. The former president was overthrown in 2014 in what many considered to be a coup. The country’s prosecution is seeking a life sentence for Yanukovych. The self-exiled politician has denied any wrongdoing.
READ MORE: Yanukovych's "Trial" in Ukraine: a Coup That Doesn't Let to Forget Itself
