KYIV -- Ukraine's prosecutor-general has launched a criminal investigation into former Deputy Justice Minister Yevhen Korniychuk, accusing him of abuse of power while in office, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service reports.
Yuriy Boychenko, a spokesman for the Prosecutor-General's Office, told RFE/RL that Korniychuk was detained, questioned, and sent to a pretrial detention center on December 22.
He declined to give any further details regarding the case.
Korniychuk's press secretary, Khrystyna Shandrenko, said that currently it was not possible contact Korniychuk.
Meanwhile, parliament deputy Vasyl Onopenko said he believed Korniychuk's arrest to be politically motivated.
Onopenko said that Korniychuk's case might be a part of what he called authorities' attack against current opposition leader and former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and her party members.
Tymoshenko was charged earlier this week with abuse of power during the years she served as prime minister, 2007 to 2010.
Two former members of her government, former Interior Minister Yuriy Lutsenko and former Economy Minister Bohdan Danylyshyn, are also under investigation.
Yuriy Boychenko, a spokesman for the Prosecutor-General's Office, told RFE/RL that Korniychuk was detained, questioned, and sent to a pretrial detention center on December 22.
He declined to give any further details regarding the case.
Korniychuk's press secretary, Khrystyna Shandrenko, said that currently it was not possible contact Korniychuk.
Meanwhile, parliament deputy Vasyl Onopenko said he believed Korniychuk's arrest to be politically motivated.
Onopenko said that Korniychuk's case might be a part of what he called authorities' attack against current opposition leader and former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and her party members.
Tymoshenko was charged earlier this week with abuse of power during the years she served as prime minister, 2007 to 2010.
Two former members of her government, former Interior Minister Yuriy Lutsenko and former Economy Minister Bohdan Danylyshyn, are also under investigation.
