Updated details of the Irina Fariion murder case: court hearings continue amid uncertainty, and the suspect is advised to maintain a healthy lifestyle
In Lviv, a court hearing regarding the tragic murder of the prominent linguist and People's Deputy Irina Fariion has taken place again. Unfortunately, the session scheduled for May 1 was not held due to the absence of the suspect Vyacheslav Zinchenko’s lawyers. This is not the first time that proceedings in this case have been thrown into doubt due to legal unpredictability. Sources from journalistic investigations report that one of the suspect’s defense attorneys, Ihor Sulyma, did not appear at the previous session on April 29. His colleague, Yuriy Nemyrovsky, explained that due to family circumstances, he would be unable to attend court at least until mid-May. However, on May 1, Nemyrovsky himself did not come to court. The judge read his statement, in which the lawyer requested a postponement of the hearing to another date, citing that he is currently abroad. As a result, the court proceedings were suspended, and the judge announced a break until May 14. During the break, a report was received about a bomb threat involving five courts in Lviv, including the Shevchenkivskyi Court building, which is handling the Fariion case. The reasons for postponement were related not only to the hesitancy of the attorneys but also to security measures. In fact, this judicial story is not a first. Previously, two hearings had to be postponed due to the suspect Vyacheslav Zinchenko’s poor health. Initially, it was reported as food poisoning, and on another occasion, he claimed to have a cold. This prompted the court to request confirmation of his health status from the detention facility. They received a certificate stating that Zinchenko’s condition was satisfactory, he had not sought medical attention, and he was given recommendations for a healthy lifestyle. It is worth noting that the case surrounding Irina Fariion’s murder remains one of the most resonant in Lviv in recent times. On the evening of July 19, 2024, a shooting incident occurred on Masaryk Street in the city, resulting in severe injuries to the former deputy and renowned linguist, Irina Fariion, who later died in hospital. This tragic event caused widespread public resonance and prompted active investigation. A few days later, on July 25, the suspect in Fariion’s murder was detained in Dnipro. Resident of Dnipro, 18-year-old Vyacheslav Zinchenko, previously rented at least three apartments in Lviv, leading investigators to conclude that his involvement in the crime could have been as an executor or performer. Meanwhile, law enforcement officials suggest that Zinchenko might have been acting on orders, as the act was not spontaneous violence, and police lean toward a motive of national intolerance. On July 26, the court remanded the young man in custody for two months without the possibility of bail. In his initial comments, Zinchenko vehemently denied any involvement in Fariion’s murder and insisted on his innocence. However, by the end of 2024, investigators had changed the classification of the crime, accusing the young man of premeditated murder in connection with her civic activities, as well as illegal possession of firearms. This indicates that law enforcement considers this incident not merely a personal crime but a manifestation of public hatred and politically motivated, in the context of Fariion’s professional work. Proceedings are ongoing, and the public eagerly awaits a final resolution of this high-profile case, which involves not only the personal lives of the victim and suspect but also raises subconscious questions about the safety of activists, public figures, and journalists in Lviv and other regions of Ukraine.