Ukrainian filmmaker sentenced to 20 years by Russian court

The military court in Russia’s south-western city of Rostov-on-Don also sentenced a second defendant, Crimea activist Alexander Kolchenko, to 10 years in prison.

Mark Feygin, one of Miss Savchenko’s defence team, described the Sentsov verdict as a “prologue” to the upcoming trial and confirmation that his client’s fate has already been decided.

Sentsov flashed a victory sign and he and Kolchenko were singing the Ukrainian national anthem inside their glass enclosure when the sentence was read.

Top European filmmakers, including Wim Wenders, Stephen Daldry, Agnieszka Holland and Mike Leigh, have called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to order Sentsov’s release.

The Ukrainian MP Mustafa Nayyem wrote on Facebook that he believed Russian citizens should be admitted to Ukraine in future only after answering a question about whether they believed the sentence in the Sentsov case to be just. “There will come a time when those who organized this so-called trial will themselves sit on the bench of the accused”.

Relations between Kiev and Moscow have deteriorated rapidly since popular demonstrations toppled pro-Russian Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych a year ago, leading to the annexation of Crimea and Moscow’s backing for separatist rebels fighting Ukrainian troops in the east of the country.

Amnesty global has denounced the trial.

Heather McGill of Amnesty global said: “The whole trial was created to send a message”.

It’s clear the case against Sentsov lacked foundation and was politically motivated, while the charges of “terrorism” against Kolchenko – who admitted to a role in an arson attack – are wholly disproportionate.

Russia’s Interfax news agency quoted Sentsov’s defense team Tuesday as saying they plan to appeal to Russia’s Supreme Court; but lawyer Dmitry Dinze told reporters they do not hold high hopes.

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

The United States condemned the sentences.

Mr Sentsov, a film-maker known mostly for his 2011 film Gamer, was arrested by Russian security services in his native Crimea in May 2014.

“A court of occupiers can not by definition be fair”, Sentsov said in his closing remarks last week.

Prosecutors had sought a term of 23 years after accusing him of organizing a terrorist group following Russia’s seizure of the Black Sea peninsula in March last year.

The Ukrainian government says he is being punished for being a Crimea-based pro-Ukrainian activist. There were no casualties in the attack.

Three judges took 20 minutes to hand down the 20-year sentence of Ukraine director Oleg Sentsov.

Mr Sentsov denies the charges against him, and claims that he was beaten in jail for 24 hours in an attempt to force a confession.

The worldwide rights group, whose representatives observed the trial, said it was “rife with irregularities, including shocking revelations about the use of torture and other ill treatment to extract testimony”.