KYIV -- Ukraine's State Bureau of Investigations (DBR), a newly established law enforcement body tasked with investigating high-level crimes, has requested that former President Petro Poroshenko be stripped of immunity.
In a November 18 statement, the DBR said it had officially informed the Prosecutor-General's Office that Poroshenko was suspected of abuse of power and of calling for the overthrow of the government.
The DBR asked the Prosecutor-General's Office to initiate the cancelation of Poroshenko's immunity in parliament, the Verkhovna Rada. The DBR gave no further details.
Poroshenko, who lost the election to Volodymyr Zelenskiy in April, enjoys immunity as a lawmaker.
A law establishing the rules under which the lawmakers' immunity can be lifted is expected to go into force as of January 1, 2020.
The DBR said earlier that Poroshenko was possibly involved in 13 criminal cases under investigation.
