Kharkov mayor evacuated from courtroom amid attack threat

KIEV, May 18. /TASS/. Gennady Kernes, the mayor of Kharkov, in Ukraine’s northeast, has been evacuated from the courtroom in the central city of Poltava due to a threat of an attack against him, the Radio Liberty reported on Monday.

"One of Kernes’ lawyers said this came as the court guards saw that a protester outside the building was carrying arms," the report said.

The court in Poltava was due to consider on Monday a case against Kernes into the alleged abduction of Maidan activists and abuse against them. In late April, the Kiev district court in Poltava postponed the hearing into the case against Kernes until May 18 as the defendant was absent.

In March last year, the mayor of Kharkov was accused of illegal deprivation of freedom, torture and threats of homicide. The Pechora district court in Kiev then restricted his freedom of movement.

In April 2014, Kernes was seriously wounded in an assassination attempt and the court changed the measure of restraint for him so that he could undergo treatment in Israel. In late July, the prejudicial inquiry was suspended.

On March 31, 2015 the Kharkov court resumed the consideration of the case.