On March 2, the HACC Appeals Chamber reviewed appeals filed by both the defense and the prosecution regarding the interim measure for former Minister of Justice and Energy Herman Halushchenko. Earlier, HACC ordered detention in custody with an alternative of UAH 200 million in bail. 

The court left the first-instance ruling unchanged and dismissed the appeals.

The defense asked the court to replace detention with round-the-clock house arrest, or to refuse to impose any interim measure at all. The prosecution argued for increasing bail to UAH 425 million. More details on the hearing and the parties’ arguments are available in our full report.

Halushchenko is suspected of money laundering and participation in a criminal organization. The case concerns alleged large-scale abuses in the energy sector known as Operation Midas. According to the investigation, a group of individuals organized a scheme that caused multimillion-dollar losses to the state. If convicted, he faces up to 12 years’ imprisonment with confiscation of property.