Ukraine: Case dropped against former president accused of reporter’s killing‎

A Ukranian court has dropped the case against a former president accused of ordering the killing of a journalist. Former president Leonid Kuchma was accused of being involved in the murder of Georgy Gongadze by a former interior ministry official who admitted to strangling the journalist earlier this year. Gongadze was found decapitated after being abducted in Kiev in 2000. Secret audio recordings apparently incriminating the former president were also heard in court, but Kuchma has continually denied any involvement in the murder. Gongadze was founder of the Ukrainska Pravda website, and was often critical of the Ukrainian leader.

Ukraine opens criminal investigation into Gongadze murder

Former president Leonid Kuchma is being investigated over the murder of opposition journalist Georgiy Gongadze. A criminal probe has been opened against Kuchma, according to a report by Ukrainska Pravda, which Gongadze founded. Georgiy Gongadze was often critical of Kuchma and his administration. He was kidnapped and murdered in 2000. In 2010 the prosecutors claimed that ex-interior minister Yury Kravchenko ordered the killing. Kravchenko is believed to have committed suicide in 2005.  This investigation comes despite a court decision preventing such a probe.