Gonzalo Lira Update!
Proof of his detention on June 29th, trial, release on bail, his re-detention after a failed border crossing and his upcoming hearing!
Based on what we will read below, and many more details within the documents themselves we now know the following:
– Gonzalo Lira was detained on 01/05/2023
– He was released on bail on 29/06/2023 – He attempted to cross the border to hungary on 01/08/2023 and was detained
– He failed to appear to his court hearing on 02/08/2023 – He appeared in front of court on 04/08/2023, when it was decided to re-detain him
– A hearing in his initial case is scheduled today 22/08/2023 at 1430 hrs Kharkov time
– A hearing is scheduled on 11/09/2023, in an appeal attempt against his re-detention.
Based on the transcripts I found using @OpenDataUa bot on Telegram, from the Dzerzhinsky District Court of Kharkiv, under which he is been/being prosecuted (among others), case # 638/1372/23.
From the transcript of a hearing that took place on 02/08/2023, that Gonzalo was to appear for but failed to due his border crossing attempt on 01/08/2023, (https://opendatabot.ua/court/112573183-69afea3dc25a508403e28fadeb04e31d…), we could read the following:
“PERSON_5 , INFORMATION_1 , a citizen of Chile and the United States, a native of Los Angeles, California, United States of America, married, not previously convicted, officially unemployed, who actually lives at: ADDRESS_1”
“By the decision of the Dzerzhinsky District Court of Kharkiv of June 26, 2023, criminal proceedings on the charge of PERSON_5 were assigned to trial.””
According to the letter of the State Institution “Kharkiv Detention Center” dated July 7, 2023, PERSON_5 was released on July 6, 2023 on payment of bail in the amount of UAH 402600.00.”
“The accused PERSON_5 did not arrive at the court hearing scheduled for August 2, 2023, the court did not inform about the reasons for non-appearance, and did not provide any evidence to confirm the validity of the reason for not appearing in court.”
“During the court hearing, the prosecutor attached a letter from the Department of the Security Service of Ukraine in Kharkiv region dated August 1, 2023 No. 70/1-7786 regarding violation of the terms of the preventive measure, according to which Lira Lopez Gonzalo Angel Quintilio on a BMW motorcycle, license plate NUMBER_1, arbitrarily went to the state border of Ukraine with Hungary. While on the territory of the Transcarpathian region in the period from July 31, 2023 to August 1, 2023, the above-mentioned person made an unsuccessful attempt to cross the state border at the checkpoint “Chop” (Tisa).”
From the transcript of a hearing that took place on 02/08/2023 (https://opendatabot.ua/court/112640892-d715178a549d3a15635c6f1ec9d020f0…), after his re-detention, and which decided to re-detain him, we could read the following:
“By the decision of the investigating judge of the Kyiv District Court. Kharkiv dated May 1, 2023, PERSON_7 was placed in custody until June 29, 2023, with a bail amount of UAH 402,600.00, imposed for a period of two months with the following obligations: to appear before the investigator…”
“The accused posted bail, In connection with which he was released from custody on July 6, 2023”
“When the preventive measure is applied, it is explained to the accused that if he, having been duly notified, does not appear when summoned to the investigator, prosecutor, or court, or leaves the city of Kharkiv without the permission of the investigator, prosecutor, or court, the bail is turned over to the income state”
“The accused gave an explanation… He noted that he voluntarily went to the state border of Ukraine. While on the territory of Zakarpattia Oblast in the period from July 31, 2023 to August 1, 2023, he made an unsuccessful attempt to cross the state border at the Chop checkpoint. His breach of duty is justified by the fact that during his stay in the pre-trial detention center, persons previously unknown to him committed violent acts against him, demanded from him the transfer of an amount of 70,000.00 US dollars to the provided bank accounts. (…) The accused feared for his life and decided to leave the city of Kharkiv.”
“Due to the inactivity of the presiding judge, the accused violated the duties assigned to him. Such inactivity of the court prompted him to violate his duties, he decided that the court wanted the accused to leave the country. He also noted that he was actually detained by SBU employees on August 2, 2023. Considering the above, after his release from custody””No valid reasons have been given as a basis for preventing the accused from attending the court session scheduled for August 2, 2023. In addition, no evidence of the accused’s appeal to the court or the prosecutor with a request for permission to travel outside the city of Kharkiv was provided.”
“Accused PERSON_7, INFORMATION_1, to be taken into custody in the courtroom. The term of detention shall be counted from the day of his actual detention.” Sorry for the long and unorganized post, but I had to do it hastily since I am on the move, and people were asking me…
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recent but slightly older news on Gonzalo
After being arrested by Ukrainian authorities and not posting anything on social media for months, Chilean-American blogger and political commentator Gonzalo Lira has released messages claiming that he was trying to escape Ukraine, but some are claiming that he has been taken back into custody.
Mark Sleboda, who claims to have been in contact with Lira and has appeared on several media outlets as an international relations analyst, stated on August 2nd, just two days after Lira had claimed to be fleeing Ukraine, that Lira had been unsuccessful in leaving the country.
Speaking on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, Sleboda wrote:
I can affirm that Gonzalo Lira @GonzaloLira1968 wanted by the Kiev Putsch regime for the crime of criticizing it (aka as “free speech”), tried to escape the West-backed Kiev Putsch regime across the Ukrainian border into Hungary where he intended to request political asylum.
I can further affirm that @GonzaloLira1968 was stopped on the Ukrainian side of the border from crossing and has since disappeared, now for more than 24 hours. That is the last that anyone has heard from him.
Sleboda’s claim came after Lira posted a 25-part thread on X, alleging that he was attempting to flee Ukraine and cross into Hungary, where he wanted to apply for political asylum.
Lira, who has been vocal in his criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his government, while often praising Russia and its president Vladimir Putin, was arrested in May in the city of Kharkiv, where he had been living for several years.
American Buddhist Net 