Putin’s new hostages
Oleg Sentsov and Oleksandr Kolchenko were singing the Ukrainian anthem when their trial was over.
Today, a Ukrainian film director, Sentsov and a left-wing activist, Kolchenko have been sentenced for 20 and 10 years of imprisonment by the decision of the North Caucasus District Military Court of the Russian Federation. Two Ukrainians have now joined the long list of dozens of political prisoners of the Russian regime.
In May 2014, the film director was arrested in Crimea. He was accused of preparing terrorist attacks in the region. According to the Russian investigative authorities, the director with accomplices was going to blow up the monument to Lenin in Simferopol and carry out the attack at the Eternal Flame on May 9. In December 2014, Gennadi Afanasyev was arrested together with Sentsov, found guilty and sentenced to seven years in prison.
Human rights activists and filmmakers have expressed their support to Sentsov. The members of the European Film Academy appealed to the Russian authorities in an open letter urging the immediate release of the Ukrainian director.
Exactly forty-seven years ago, on August 25, 1968, in Moscow, eight brave Soviet dissidents went to Red Square to protest the invasion of the Soviet troops to the Czech Republic. They were holding a banner “For Your and Our Freedom”.
As long as Russian court system is controlled by Putin’s regime, the slogan “For Your and Our Freedom” is as urgent now, as it used to be during the Soviet times.
We condemn the sentences for Sentsov and Kolchenko, along with other Russian political prisoners, and calling for their immediate release!
Today, a Ukrainian film director, Sentsov and a left-wing activist, Kolchenko have been sentenced for 20 and 10 years of imprisonment by the decision of the North Caucasus District Military Court of the Russian Federation. Two Ukrainians have now joined the long list of dozens of political prisoners of the Russian regime.
In May 2014, the film director was arrested in Crimea. He was accused of preparing terrorist attacks in the region. According to the Russian investigative authorities, the director with accomplices was going to blow up the monument to Lenin in Simferopol and carry out the attack at the Eternal Flame on May 9. In December 2014, Gennadi Afanasyev was arrested together with Sentsov, found guilty and sentenced to seven years in prison.
Human rights activists and filmmakers have expressed their support to Sentsov. The members of the European Film Academy appealed to the Russian authorities in an open letter urging the immediate release of the Ukrainian director.
Exactly forty-seven years ago, on August 25, 1968, in Moscow, eight brave Soviet dissidents went to Red Square to protest the invasion of the Soviet troops to the Czech Republic. They were holding a banner “For Your and Our Freedom”.
As long as Russian court system is controlled by Putin’s regime, the slogan “For Your and Our Freedom” is as urgent now, as it used to be during the Soviet times.
We condemn the sentences for Sentsov and Kolchenko, along with other Russian political prisoners, and calling for their immediate release!