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On Thursday, 30 August, the Saeima Foreign Affairs Committee issued a statement regarding Ukranian filmmaker Oleg Sencov. The Foreign Affairs Committee condemns the unlawful detention of Mr. Sencov who was apprehended in the jurisdiction of illegally-annexed Crimea in violation of international law. The committee also believes that the trial and conviction of Mr. Sencov are illegal and politically motivated. In its statement, the Foreign Affairs Committee urges the Russian Federation to ensure the immediate and unconditional release of Oleg Sencov and other unjustly imprisoned Ukrainians.

Oleg Sencov was convicted as a Russian citizen in a Russian military court, despite the fact that Mr. Sencov had not renounced his Ukrainian citizenship and was forced to accept Russian citizenship.

The statement also raises strong suspicions about possible coercion during the arrest of Mr. Sencov. The filmmaker was subjected to torture and inhumane treatment, resulting in a guilty plea and a conviction for an alleged offence. According to the ruling of the Russian court, Mr. Sencov was sentenced to 20 years in a maximum-security prison in Siberia. Therefore, the trial was neither fair nor unbiased, reads the statement.

The Saeima Foreign Affairs Committee is concerned about the deteriorating health of the Ukrainian film director, as his hunger strike has passed the 100-day mark. The statement also notes that Mr. Sencov has been denied vital medical care and contact with independent observers.

The Saeima Foreign Affairs Committee urges Russia, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, to uphold the principles and human rights protections set out in the Charter of the United Nations in its jurisdiction.

Saeima Press Service