EU NEIGHBOURS. Following the sentencing of six people from Ukraine’s Crimea and Sevastopol by a court in Russia, the EU issued the following statement on 14 November.
“On 12 November, a court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced Ukrainian citizens Muslim Aliyev, Refat Alimov, Enver Bekirov, Arsen Dzhepparov, Emir-Useyn Kuku and Vadym Syruk to lengthy prison terms,” the statement said. “They are accused of belonging to an organisation that is banned in Russia but not in Ukraine. The excessive sentences, ranging from 7 to 19 years of imprisonment, constitute the latest targeting by the Russian Federation of Ukrainians from the Crimean Peninsula including Crimean Tatars and human rights defenders.“
The EU added that it does not recognise the enforcement of Russian legislation in Crimea and Sevastopol nor the transfer of Crimeans to courts in Russia. “The EU expects Russia to reverse these decisions and to release all illegally-detained Ukrainians without delay,” it stated.
“All pending cases of human rights violations and abuses, such as enforced disappearances, torture and killings, violence, politically-motivated prosecutions, discrimination and harassment, in particular of the Crimean Tatar community, must be thoroughly investigated,” concluded the statement.
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Photo: European Union
