You're reading: Anti-Maidan activist Topaz to remain in custody for another two months

Kharkiv – Preliminary hearings of the criminal case against anti-Maidan activist Hnat Kromskoy, also known as Topaz, have been held at the Kyivsky district court in Kharkiv.

The court turned down the request to free Kromskoy from custody and extended his detention by another 60 days, Kromskoy’s defense attorney Oleksandr Shadrin told Interfax-Ukraine.

Reports said earlier that Kharkiv resident Kromskoy guarded anti- Maidan protesters in Marriyinsky Park in Kyiv. He became known by his call sign “Topaz” after a video showing the anti-Maidan camp was posted on the Internet. The film interrupted after “titushki” (mercenaries) attacked the cameraman, who shouted for help. “Topaz, give out the command!” he cried appealing to Topaz.

Kromskoy was detained on March 28 as part of the criminal investigation into the storming of the Kharkiv regional state administration on March 1, on suspicion of organizing mass disturbances.

On March 29 the Leninsky district court of Kharkiv ordered that he be placed under round-the-clock house arrest. Prosecutors appealed and demanded that he be taken into custody. However, the court insisted on house arrest and obliged Kromskoy to wear and electronic ankle tracing device and to surrender his travel passport.

Kromskoy fled on Apr.7.

On Apr. 25, the Ukrainian Security Service detained him as he was giving an interview to the Russian television channel LifeNews.

The Kyivsky district court of Kharkiv ruled on Apr. 26 that Kromskoy be taken into custody without bail until May 28. This was later extended until July 12.