European Parliament calls on Russia to release Estonian, Ukrainian prisoners
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 10 September 2015 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, European Parliament calls on Russia to release Estonian, Ukrainian prisoners, 10 September 2015, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/561d043815.html [accessed 22 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
September 10, 2015
STRASBOURG, France – EU lawmakers have urged Russia to immediately release the Estonian police officer Eston Kohver, Ukrainian film-maker Oleg Sentsov, and civil activist Oleksandr Kolchenko.
In a resolution backed by the European Parliament's major political groups on September 10, the lawmakers condemn the "blatant violation of the territorial integrity of Ukraine and Estonia through the illegal kidnapping of citizens of both countries."
Kohver was kidnapped in Estonia in September 2014 and was recently sentenced to 15 years in prison in Russia. Sentsov and Kolchenko were sentenced to 20 and 10 years, respectively, after being arrested in the Crimea in May 2014.
The resolution says Russian courts are not "competent to judge acts committed outside the internationally recognized territory of Russia."
It also calls on European Council President Donald Tusk and EU foreign-policy chief Federica Mogherini to come up with "a comprehensive policy strategy which would enable the EU to regain the initiative and to pursue a more clear-cut policy towards Russia."
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
