Lviv photographer tried in Kyiv for "beating Berkut"

Oleh Panas, photographer who was arrested in Lviv, was tried Tuesday, Dec 10, before Shevchekivskyi court of Kyiv city. Oleh Panas is accused of beating “Berkut” on December 1. The hearing was held at noon. This information is from the official site Euromaidan-Lviv. Oleh’s father, Igor Panas, says that now he is collecting all the papers needed for the court. According to him, in Kyiv he receives help from “Batkivshchyna” MPs, Stepan Kubiv and Mykhailo Khmil. Igor Panas shared the details of how his son was detained: “Yesterday, approximately at half past noon, he went downtown. Near “Magnus”, three men wearing civilian clothes accused him of stealing a cell phone, grabbed him and forced him into a blue VAZ-2107 car. They showed some old cell phone as a proof. We have witnesses, we have photos. They took him to the police station at Hryhorenka str. Later Rudiak was lying that Oleh was already sent to Kyiv – in fact he was held here until 15:00, only then he was transported. At night I received a call that he was at Kosohorna Street in Kyiv. Today at noon, the case will be considered by Shevchenkivskyi court of Kyiv city. He is accused of attacking “Berkut”. Still, according to his father’s words, Oleh was not at Bankova on December 1. At night on the eve of November 30, he was beaten at Maidan, his camera was broken. The law enforcers explained that Oleh was detained because of the photographs he took, which he placed on the Internet and which were published by Reuters Agency. Oleh’s mother went to Kyiv; the attorney Kozachenko works on the case. The police said that the guy was not kidnapped, that he was detained by operatives, not by some unknown individuals. Against Oleh, at least four criminal proceedings have been opened, one of which is for public disorder in Kyiv. It is about the storming of Bankova str.