A Ukrainian court on Wednesday refused a prosecutor’s request to arrest former President Petro Poroshenko on charges of treason, writes DW.

Poroshenko returned to the country on Monday to face the charges, which he has called fabrications invented by allies of the current president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

He appeared in court on Wednesday, but judge Oleksiy Sokolov rejected the request for the arrest, saying instead that Poroshenko should appear before prosecutors and investigators when asked to do so.

There had been scuffles outside the court between police and Poroshenko supporters.

The judge, however, ordered the confiscation of Poroshenko’s passport and ordered the 56-year-old to report to the court to keep his freedom. The decision is valid for two months, but can be extended.

“The confiscation of my passport will hinder my political activities”, - Poroshenko said. But the former president and his lawyers began to sing the national anthem on hearing that he would not be detained.