MP Savchenko Dismisses Her Lawyers, Asks Court To Appoint Public Defender

Verkhovna Rada member Nadiya Savchenko has dismissed all her lawyers and asks the court to appoint a public defender.

She announced this during the trial on Monday, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

The court considered prolongation of her detention.

She announced she had dismissed all four lawyers of her.

"I am not a rich person. I cannot afford expensive lawyers and I do not want to run into debt," she said.

The court announced a break until the arrival of a public defender.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on March 23, the Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Kyiv ordered detention of Member of Parliament Nadiya Savchenko until May 20.

Officers of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) detained Savchenko on March 22.

Law enforcement officials have served her with notice of suspicion of preparing terrorist acts in Kyiv.

The parliament had stripped Savchenko of her parliamentary immunity and authorized her arrest and detention.