Ukrainian director Oleg Sentsov was detained in the occupied Crimea by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) in May 2014. Sentsov complained that during his detention, he suffered from FSB agents‘ torture. They put a plastic bag over his head and suffocated him until he fainted. His lawyer, Dmitry Dinze, described how FSB agents brutally treated his client. „Three hours of torture, trying to thrash out a confession. Beat him on the back, legs.“ Among other things, the lawyer also said that Sentsov was threatened with rape immediately after he removed his pants.
Aleksandr Kolchenko was detained on 16 May 2014 in the center of Simferopol, the capital. Kolchenko and Sentsov were later transferred to Moscow from Crimea together with other Ukrainian detainees. Both had taken part in peaceful demonstrations against the Russian intervention in the Crimea, and Sentsov had also taken part in the EuroMaydan demonstrations in Kiev, Ukraine, as a member of the motorists’ protest group “AutoMaydan”. His friends and family members who spoke to Amnesty International believe that the charges are politically motivated. At the trial, which took place in Rostov-on-Don, prosecution accused Sentsov of creating a terrorist organization and organizing multiple terrorist acts, and Kolchenko of committing terrorist acts. The prosecutor also accused them of being members of the Ukrainian right-wing group Pravyi Sektor (Right Sector), which was outlawed in November 2014. Both Kolchenko and Sentsov denied any affiliation with this group, and Pravyi Sektor has also issued a statement declaring they are not, and have never been, its members.
Additionally, Russian authorities accused Kolchenko and Sentsov of deliberately committing arson attacks on the future offices of the United Russia party and of preparing to blow up a statue of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin and the Eternal Flame monument. Both were tried in a military court and could face up to life imprisonment. Sentsov has denied all the allegations. Kolchenko has admitted his taking part in the arson attacks, but denied that they were terrorist attacks. The process is deemed to be fabricated and politically motivated.
The release of Sentsov and Kolchenko has been repeatedly called upon by a number of international organizations, including Amnesty International.
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Calling on the authorities to take immediate steps to overturn the convictions of Oleg Sentsov and Aleksandr Kolchenko under disproportionate terrorism-related charges and present them with appropriate charges or release them.
Demanding that, if new legitimate charges are brought against them, Oleg Sentsov and Aleksandr Kolchenko be retried in a civilian court, and that all testimony gained through torture and other ill-treatment and other illegal methods should be excluded.
Insisting that all allegations of torture and other ill-treatment by the defendants, witnesses and their lawyers are immediately, effectively and impartially investigated.
Dear General Procurator,
I am requesting your attention to the case of Oleg Sentsov, a Ukrainian film director. He was detained in May 2014 and transferred to Moscow after he openly criticized the Russian invasion of Crimea. Russian authorities have unjustly accused Sentsov of terrorism. He was tortured during his time in custody. Oleg Sentsov has been sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment on 25 August 2015, for “setting up a branch of a terrorist group” and “having organized terrorist acts in April 2014”, shortly after the Russian occupation and annexation of Crimea. Aleksandr Kolchenko was sentenced on the same day to 10 years in a strict regime labour camp for “committing terrorist acts”.
With respect to the above-mentioned facts, I ask you to provide:
Steps to overturn the convictions of Oleg Sentsov and Aleksandr Kolchenko under disproportionate terrorism-related charges and present them with appropriate charges or release them;
That if new legitimate charges are brought against them, Oleg Sentsov and Aleksandr Kolchenko be retried in a civilian court, and that all testimony gained through torture and other ill-treatment and other illegal methods should be excluded;
Withdrawal the terrorism-related charges against Sentsov and present him with appropriate charges or release him;
all allegations of torture and other ill-treatment by the defendants, witnesses and their lawyers are immediately, effectively and impartially investigated.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter, your help is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
