Yuriy Lutsenko

Yuriy Lutsenko

Yuriy Vitaliyovych Lutsenko (Ukrainian: Юрій Віталійович Луценко; born 14 December 1964 in Rivne) is a Ukrainian politician and statesman and former Minister of Internal Affairs, he occupied this post in the two Cabinets of Yulia Tymoshenko and in Cabinets of Yuriy Yekhanurov, and Viktor Yanukovych. The Ministry of Internal Affairs is the Ukrainian police authority, and Lutsenko became the first civilian minister in February, 2005.

On 13 December 2010 Lutsenko was charged with abuse of office and forgery by Prosecutor General of Ukraine Viktor Pshonka. On 27 February 2012 Lutsenko was sentenced to fours year in jail for embezzlement and abuse of office. Lutsenko stated the same day he will appeal against sentence. Lutsenko is held at the Lukyanivska Prison since 26 December 2010. Both Lutsenko and his political allies regard his trail as an act of political persecution and revenge by the regime of Victor Yanukovych. The European Union, the United States Department of State, Canada, other international organizations and human rights organizations protested against the sentence and questioned if it was a "fair, transparent and independent legal process". An appeal has been pending since 7 March 2012.