Facing 20 Years In Russian Jail, This Ukrainian Bursts Into Song

A Russian military court in Rostov-on-Don Tuesday sentenced acclaimed Ukrainian film director Oleh Sentsov to 20 years in prison on charges of leading a terrorist group and plotting attacks in Russia-annexed Crimea. Another alleged member of the same terrorist cell, Alexei Chirny, was sentenced to seven years in a high security prison in April by a court in Rostov-on-Don.

“It [the Sentsov case] doesn’t bode well for reconciliation”, Rutland said. “A time will come when those who set this trial for you will land in the dock”.

Ukrainian and Western officials have described them as “political prisoners” and “hostages”, and they have demanded Russian Federation release them.

Peter Rutland, a government professor at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, and a specialist in Russian politics said, the arrest and trial of Sentsov and Kolchenko has allowed Russia to continue establishing its claims over Crimea since its annexation in March 2014.

Britain’s Minister for Europe David Lidington said the charges were “disproportionate” and voiced concern the two men did not have access to a fair trial.

Prominent European film directors, including Mike Leigh, Ken Loach, Andrzej Wajda, Wim Wenders and Bertrand Tavernier called on Russian President Vladimir Putin in an open letter last week to have the charges against Sentsov dropped and to free him “immediately and unconditionally”.

Prosecutors had called for a 23-year sentence for Oleg Sentsov.

Sentsov, 39, told the court he was tortured and threatened with rape after he was arrested in May past year.

Mr Feygin stated that the one probability for any prisoner in such a case is “excessive degree political negotiations”.

Russia and Ukraine have been locked in a bitter feud over Moscow’s takeover of Crimea and its support for the ongoing pro-Russian insurgency in eastern Ukraine.

Russian authorities have shown themselves unwilling to brook any criticism of Crimea’s annexation-within days of the peninsula’s seizure, community leaders demonstrating against it began to be kidnapped by masked men.

He also noted that Gennady Afanasyev, the prosecution’s main witness against him and Kolchenko, had recanted his testimony, which Afanasyev said had been forced.

Sentsov himself has said he was also beaten by Russian security agents after his arrest.

“On the same day, Sentsov got 20 years and [Yevgeniya] Vasilyeva was granted early release”.

Sentsov’s lawyer Dmitry Dinze said his client would appeal the sentence, which was delivered at one of the only two Russian military courts authorised to hear terrorism cases.

Amnesty Worldwide condemned Russia’s dealing with of the case, which it says has been marred by a number of irregularities together with allegations of torture of each the accused and prosecution witnesses. “This trial showed a cynical disregard for human rights”, she said in an interview.

Ukrainian authorities are banned by their Russian counterparts to contact or help Sentsov.