A Ukrainian regional court found on Monday the defendants in the case of deadly riots that occurred in the port city of Odessa in May 2014 not guilty, citing the lack of evidence. However, two of those acquitted were detained again.
KIEV (Sputnik) — Two acquitted defendants of the case into May 2014 clashes at the Hretska Ploshcha (Greek Square) in Odessa were detained over suspected encroachment on the territorial integrity of Ukraine. This came shortly after an Odessa regional court ruled the defendants in the case were “not guilty.”
The representatives of the Ukrainian Security Service and Prosecutor General’s Office entered the courtroom where the judges were delivering their verdict of acquittal and declared new charges. The journalists were asked to leave the courtroom, Ukraine’s Dumskaya media outlet reported.
Nineteen defendants were on trial in connection with the Greek Square riots that killed six people. According to the Timer news outlet, the court only considered the actions of anti-Maidan activists, who were accused of inciting their supporters to violent actions against the participants of the Euromaidan, which led to mass riots.