Crimean Maidan Activist Claims to have been Tortured in Jail
Oleksandr Kostenko, who is in detention in Simferopol, wrote in an open letter about the constant harassment and threats. Kostenko said that he is being demanded by his captors to testify against members of Maidan.
According to the Crimean Human Rights Field Mission, his lawyer Dmitro Sotnikov demands the detention administration to investigate and take action.
“Not only was Kostenko brought to jail with signs of torture, but he was also regularly subjected to beatings while detained,” said Sotnikov in a statement.
According to Olga Skrypnik, Deputy Head of the Crimean Human Rights Field Mission (CFM), Kostenko’s case has a distinct political character. The initiation of the case by the Russian Investigative Committee for the events in Kyiv was not consistent with the principles of the legality of criminal law or territorial jurisdiction.
Deputy Head of the CFM Dmitro Makarov believes that allegations of torture or behavior that can be equated to torture must be carefully checked. The authorities must either officially deny or admit the facts resulting from an investigation and bring the responsible to justice.
“Human rights advocates of the Crimean Human Rights Field Mission demand the immediate creation of conditions in which Oleksandr Kostenko can be protected from torture. It is necessary to thoroughly investigate his allegations of torture. If these facts are confirmed, the involved must brought to justice. The administration of justice in Kostenko’s case must be objective and meet the principles of criminal law,” says the CFM message.
On February 5th, 2015 Maidan activist Oleksandr Kostenko was detained. Russian law enforcement accuses him of throwing a stone at a Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs officer during protests on February 18th, 2014 in Kyiv.
