173 criminal cases handed over from uncontrolled territory
173 criminal cases (proceedings) have been handed over from the uncontrolled territory of Donbas to the Ukrainian courts.
The handover of the cases took place within the framework of the proceeding, which has been lasting since June 2014, the Office of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights reports.
As a result of the armed conflict in Donbas, a large number of people are held in custody in the government-controlled territory having no chance to be sentenced in the near future as their cases are in the courts located in the militant-controlled territory.
These people are in custody following the rulings of the courts of the first instance or the courts of appeal or the courts of cassation, which sent the case back for further investigation.
This is an obvious violation of Article 5 and Article 6 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, in particular, the violation of the right to trial within a reasonable time.
As reported, three transfers of prisoners from the uncontrolled territory in Donetsk region occurred in 2015.
