Advertisement

U.S. protesters urge release of Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov

By Jared M. Feldschreiber
Dozens of residents in New York and Chicago rallied in support of Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov, who was sentenced by a Russian court to 20 years in a maximum-security prison for committing "terrorist attacks" in Crimea. Photo courtesy of Release Oleg Sentsov/Facebook
Dozens of residents in New York and Chicago rallied in support of Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov, who was sentenced by a Russian court to 20 years in a maximum-security prison for committing "terrorist attacks" in Crimea. Photo courtesy of Release Oleg Sentsov/Facebook

CHICAGO, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Dozens of residents in New York and Chicago rallied in support of Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov who was sentenced by a Russian court to 20 years in a maximum-security prison for committing "terrorist attacks" in Crimea.

"This is an absolute disregard for international law and a disregard for fundamental human rights. The verdict is fabricated," said Larysa Gerasko, Consul General of Ukraine in Chicago.

Advertisement

Human rights activist groups, European leaders and artistic luminaries have criticized the verdict. Two weeks ago, well-known filmmakers called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to release Sentsov. Prosecutors argued that he was involved in two attempted arson attacks in the city of Simferopol. The case was primarily based on evidence by two men who were already convicted.

Dmitry Dinze, a lawyer for Sentsov, told journalists outside the courthouse that an appeal would be taken to Russia's Supreme Court. "This is the height of injustice and lawlessness," Dinze said. "The materials of the defense showed that Oleg Sentsov is essentially innocent."

Sentsov mocked the court proceedings in July: "I don't consider this a court at all, so you can consider whatever you want."

Advertisement

Meanwhile, Nadia Savchenko, a symbol of the resistance to Russia's incursion in eastern Ukraine, is facing charges that carry a 25-year prison term. The helicopter pilot captured during fighting in eastern Ukraine has since been transferred to Russian custody.

Russian investigators allege that Savchenko was working as a spotter in eastern Ukraine that provided the coordinates for a mortar attack, which killed the two Russian journalists.

"[Savchenko] is a symbol as an activist of Euromaidan. For Putin, nowadays, it's very important symbolically to show that he is strong. He uses... such cases as Savchenko as a main tool in propaganda," Lyudmyla Kozlovska, president of Open Dialog Foundation, told UPI.

Latest Headlines