Accused Murderers of Composer Bilozir Stand Trial

The Lviv District Court has begun hearing the case of composer Ihor Bilozir who died of wounds received in a brawl by the downtown Tsisarska Kava cafe a year ago. The defendants are Lviv residents Dmytro Voronov and Yuri Kalinin.

Ihor Butsiak, of the public prosecutor’s office, read out the indictment, according to which Voronov and Kalinin are charged under Articles 93.17 (b), (d), and (l), and 206.3 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

The prosecution holds that both defendants did not plead guilty during the investigation but that their testimonies are completely refuted by the evidence in the case.

Vasyl Teniukh, chairman of the board of judges, banned audio and video recording in the courtroom on request of the defense.

Meanwhile several hundred people representing Right parties and volunteer organizations gathered in front of the court, demanding capital punishment and that the trial be accorded political status.

The Day has provided detailed coverage of problems arising from and in conjunction with Ihor Bilozir’s tragic demise that caused public reverberations. Look for a sequel and different views on the issue in coming issues. Of course, we will closely follow the trial in Lviv.