Mogul
03-04-2005, 06:14 PM
This is the fate of many uzbek top officials whose hands are in blood.
THE former Interior Minister of Ukraine was found dead yesterday a few hours before prosecutors were due to question him about the murder of an investigative reporter in 2000.
Yuri Kravchenko was the second minister in the former government to have apparently killed himself since a rigged presidential election triggered last year’s Orange Revolution.
He was found by relatives at his country residence near Kiev. “First, he shot himself in the chin, the bullet came out near his nose,” Viktor Chokin, the assistant prosecutor, said. “Then he shot himself in the right temple.”
The new Government fears that his death will not be the last as it continues to investigate alleged abuses by the former regime — not least the poisoning of Viktor Yushchenko, the new President, during his election campaign.
“Everyone has a choice: either appear before the court and publicly stand up for his rights and honour, or dispense justice on himself,” Mr Yushchenko said yesterday.
Mr Yushchenko said that the death of Mr Kravchenko could be linked to the investigation into the murder of Heorhiy Gongadze, the journalist who exposed corruption under former President Kuchma.
Mr Kravchenko, 53, had been implicated in the killing and was summoned earlier this week to give testimony yesterday morning to prosecutors.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1511203,00.html
THE former Interior Minister of Ukraine was found dead yesterday a few hours before prosecutors were due to question him about the murder of an investigative reporter in 2000.
Yuri Kravchenko was the second minister in the former government to have apparently killed himself since a rigged presidential election triggered last year’s Orange Revolution.
He was found by relatives at his country residence near Kiev. “First, he shot himself in the chin, the bullet came out near his nose,” Viktor Chokin, the assistant prosecutor, said. “Then he shot himself in the right temple.”
The new Government fears that his death will not be the last as it continues to investigate alleged abuses by the former regime — not least the poisoning of Viktor Yushchenko, the new President, during his election campaign.
“Everyone has a choice: either appear before the court and publicly stand up for his rights and honour, or dispense justice on himself,” Mr Yushchenko said yesterday.
Mr Yushchenko said that the death of Mr Kravchenko could be linked to the investigation into the murder of Heorhiy Gongadze, the journalist who exposed corruption under former President Kuchma.
Mr Kravchenko, 53, had been implicated in the killing and was summoned earlier this week to give testimony yesterday morning to prosecutors.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1511203,00.html