Ukrainians illegally detained in Russia: The “Chechen” Case

Mykola Karpyuk (50) and Stanislav Klikh (41) are being accused by the Russian authorities of taking part in the first Chechen war (1994-1996) and killing Russian soldiers. Although in fact some activists of the Ukrainian radical movement “UNA UNSO” visited Chechnya and, according to unconfirmed information, were members of armed groups of Chechen rebels, neither Karpyuk nor Klikh have ever taken part in the Chechen conflict. The investigative Committee of the Russian Federation is notorious for accusing Ukrainians in fighting in Chechnya during the first Chechen war. Such fake accusations have absolutely no evidential basis behind it. Recently, even Ukrainian Prime Minister Yatseniuk was mentioned as a former member of a Chechen armed groups. The absurdity of this accusation is obvious and can be easily proved by facts.

Mykola Karpiuk (born 1964) is a Ukrainian civil activist who has been active in politics since the early 1990s. He played an active part in Ukraine’s recent Revolution as part of Right Sector. He was arrested in Russia on March 21, 2014 under unclear circumstances. His family and friends believe him to have been kidnapped  by the FSB from the territory of Ukraine (namely Ukrainian-Russian border in Chernihiv Oblast). He is being kept in an investigative temporary detention center in Grozny (Chechnya). Karpiuk is facing 15 years in prison for the following accusation: Art. 317 (attempted murder of a police officer) and s. 1. Art. 209 of the Criminal Code of Russia (“Creating a stable armed group (gang) to attack the citizens or organizations, and implementation of the management of the group”). Russian investigative bodies claim that he was a participant of the Chechen war. But Karpiuk’s family and lawyer deny this claiming that he indeed was a fighter, but not on the territory of the Russian Federation, he participated in the conflicts of 1990ies in Abkhazia and Transnistria. The Ukrainian consul has not been allowed to meet with Mykola Karpyuk.

Ukrainian historian and journalist Stanislav Klikh (born 1974) was arrested in Russia on August 11, 2014 during a private visit to the city of Orel. After that he was supposedly transferred to prisons in Yessentuki, Pyatigorsk and Grozny, being accused by Russian authorities of participation in the “Right Sector” movement. He is facing charges on the basis of the same “Chechen case” as Mykola Karpiuk. The Ukrainian consul has not been allowed to meet with Stanislav Klikh.  

On September 15, 2015 the Russian court in Grozny officially started the trial in their case. 

Irrefutable Evidence of Russian Armed Aggression in Ukraine

On August 28, Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Andriy Taranov and Head of the Security Service Vasyl Hrytsak presented irrefutable evidence of Russian Armed Forces' participation in hostilities in the east of Ukraine and violation of the Minsk agreements. The proofs were gathered by the Ukrainian intelligence and confirmed by the intelligence of foreign states-partners of Ukraine.

Detailed documental materials confirm constant and deliberate violation of the main provisions of the Minsk agreements by the Russian occupation forces concealed by the statements of Russia on the necessity of peaceful resolution of the conflict.

Respective materials were also presented to the diplomatic corps accredited in Ukraine.

According to the Ukrainian security officials, radical change of Russian participation in hostilities in the east of Ukraine took place in summer 2015. The Ukrainian Armed Forces are now confronting not mixed Russian terrorist groups, but structured military units of the Russian regular army. Herewith, Putin's regime keeps denying Russia's involvement in the conflict.

Russian troops in Donbas are directly guided by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

Download report from the Security Service of Ukraine: 
https://www.dropbox.com/s/vval5hz0dun6wf6/proof-eng.pdf?dl=0

#StopRussianAggression #UnitedForUkraine

Russia Disregards Immunity Principles of the Council of Europe

Nadiya Savchenko, a member of the Ukrainian parliament and of the Ukrainian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) for the 2015 session, has been illegally detained in the Russian Federation since June 2014.

Nadiya’s lawyer Ilya Novikov unveiled the Russian Foreign Ministry's instructions to the Investigation Committee, which distort the basic immunity principles of PACE.

In its classified letter, the Russian MFA states that Nadiya Savchenko cannot enjoy PACE immunities since crimes of which she is accused were carried out before she was elected a member of the Ukrainian Parliament and a member of the Ukrainian delegation to the PACE.

Russia's incorrect interpretation of international law is nothing but a lame attempt to justify itself.

What you need to know about Nadiya's immunity as a member of PACE:

1. Nadiya Savchenko enjoys “European” parliamentary immunity as a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe since ratification of the credentials of the Ukrainian delegation on 26 January 2015. With effect from the ratification of credentials, Savchenko can no longer be subject to any detention or prosecution measures.

2. Immunity of members of the Assembly also extends to any proceedings initiated against them before the beginning of their parliamentary mandate, in connection with acts carried out by the member before the start of his or her term of office in the Assembly, with the effect that any ongoing proceedings are suspended for the duration of the term of office.

3. The parliamentary immunity of a member of the Assembly must be waived before his or her freedom can be restricted; the Assembly alone is able to waive the immunity of a member.

From the Conclusions of the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs of the Council of Europe, 27 January 2015

#FreeSavchenko