Handziuk's murder: Court arrests Manher and Levin for two months

The Dniprovsky District Court in Kyiv city has arrested Vladyslav Manher and Oleksiy Levin for two months in the case on the murder of activist Kateryna Handziuk.
Lawyer Masi Nayyem livestreamed the court hearing on Facebook, Ukrinform reports.

The court ruled to arrest Manher and Levin until October 18, 2020 without the right to post bail.

As reported, the Dniprovsky District Court in Kyiv city began a preparatory hearing in the case on the murder of activist Kateryna Handziuk. Defendants, Kherson Regional Council chairman Vladyslav Manher and ex-aide to a Kherson Regional Council member Oleksiy Levin, were present at the hearing.

On July 28, the Prosecutor General's Office filed an indictment against Vladyslav Manher and Oleksiy Levin for organizing an attack on activist Kateryna Handziuk.

On July 31, 2018, activist Kateryna Handziuk was doused in sulfuric acid near the entrance to her house in Kherson. She sustained burns to 40% of her body. Handziuk underwent several surgeries but died on November 4 of the same year.

Five people were detained on suspicion of involvement in Handziuk's murder. Ihor Pavlovsky, a former aide to MP Mykola Palamarchuk, was arrested on November 12, 2018.

On February 11, 2019, the Prosecutor General's Office served Manher with a notice of suspicion in organizing Handziuk's murder. The court chose a measure of restraint for him in the form of detention with the possibility of posting bail of UAH 2,497,300, which was put up.

On June 6, 2019, five direct perpetrators of the attack were sentenced to prison terms of three to six-and-a-half years.

In January 2020, Levin was detained in Bulgaria for organizing the acid attack on Handziuk.

On March 16, Levin was extradited from Bulgaria to Ukraine. According to investigators, Levin is a key figure who connects perpetrators and those who ordered the attack on Handziuk. He is suspected of organizing this crime, inciting others to commit it, and providing information about Handziuk's place of residence.

In March 2020, the court extended the investigation into the case against Levin until July 29.

On April 27, the Prosecutor General's Office and the Security Service of Ukraine announced that the investigation into the attack on Handziuk was completed.

At the same time, activists said they considered it premature to send Handziuk case to court. According to them, law enforcement officers did not finish all investigative actions.

On June 11, Manher was given a decision on resuming the pre-trial investigation and a motion to choose a pre-trial restraint for him in the form of detention in custody.

On June 19, the Pechersk District Court in Kyiv city arrested Manher until July 28 without the right to post bail. The court later extended Manher's pre-trial restraint until September 11.