By KYIV. Sept 4 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Criminal proceedings against well-known persons and media coverage of high-profile cases considered by the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) have become systemic, but judges do not pay attention to the information background of criminal proceedings, Head of the HACC Vira Mykhailenko has said.
In an interview with Interfax-Ukraine, Mykhailenko said in trials, both at the pretrial stage and during the consideration of the case on the merits, the names of suspects are often associated with increased media interest.
“Media support of criminal proceedings in the light necessary for the parties is not a current trend, but recently it has acquired a systemic professional character. We do not pay attention to the external information background of the proceedings,” the HACC head said.
Mykhailenko said: “Judges have different tasks than the parties – not to form an opinion on the guilt or innocence of a particular person, but to understand the issue that is under consideration. This is possible only within the framework of the materials provided by the parties, based on the positions expressed in the court meetings, not outside of them.”
