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Ukraine's Former Presidential Bodyguard Released On Bail
October 26, 2012
A Ukrainian court has released the former chief of the presidential bodyguard service, Mykola Melnychenko, on $10,000 bail.
He is being charged with abuse of office and divulging state secrets.
Melnychenko was detained at Kyiv's Boryspil Airport on October 24.
He said in the Kyiv courtroom on October 26 that he returned to Ukraine after receiving death threats while abroad and wants "to make Ukrainian authorities responsible" for his safety."
Melnychenko is being charged with abuse of office and divulging state secrets. He made headlines in 2000 after he publicly revealed conversations he said he recorded in the office of then-Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma.
The recordings appeared to show Kuchma's involvement into the murder of journalist Heorhiy Gongadze and high-level corruption.
A Ukrainian court dropped all charges against Kuchma in December.
Based on reporting by UNIAN and Interfax
Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/melnychenko-returned-home-to-survive/24751634.html
Copyright (c) 2012. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
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