Interpol Drops Another Yanukovych Crony From Wanted List

INTERPOL has ended the international search for Serhiy Arbuzov, former First Deputy Prime Minister under then President Viktor Yanukovych and ex–head of the National Bank of Ukraine. They have also restored his right to free movement. Arbuzov's defence council, Serhiy Kovalev and Evheniy Pelikhos, announced this at a press conference today, May 18, at the information agency "Ukrainian News".

"INTERPOL has ended the international search for our client, which means the restoration of Serhiy Arbuzov's right to free movement. Despite the attempts of the General Prosecutor of Ukraine to distort the facts and present their desires as reality, INTERPOL heard our arguments and stopped the search," the lawyers noted.

The defence council showed journalists a Ukrianian translation of the official notice from the INTERPOL secretariat.

The lawyers also said that the General Prosecutor has filed new charges in the case against Arbuzov:

"We have yet to receive official documents, but when we get them we will turn them over to the police and bring the perpetrators to justice. We will also undertake all necessary measures to prove Arbuzov's innocence," one lawyer said.

He also added that Arbuzov intends to return to Ukraine, but this will only happen when the case against him has been closed.

The General Prosecutor's office first began its pre-trial investigation into the former Prime Minister in February 2016. Arbuzov is suspected of misappropriation of property through abuse of office.

According to Ukraine's criminal code, this crime would be met with a prison term of seven to twelve years.

Earlier on Interpol removed ex-President Viktor Yanukovych, his chief of staff Andriy Klyuyev his Energy Minister Eduard Stavytsky from its wanted list. The agency also refused to issue a wanted notice for fugitive lawmaker Oleksandr Onyshchenko, a suspect in an embezzlement case.