Families of Ukrainian political prisoners ask the EU to impose new sanctions against Russia

Relatives of Ukrainian political prisoners in Russia ask the European Parliament to introduce a new type of sanctions against Russians involved in these confinements.

As stated in the appeal to the European Parliament from the families of Kremlin prisoners and Euromaydan SOS initiative group, which is conducting LetMyPeopleGo campaign aimed at demanding the release of prisoners.

This appeal is related to the fact that, on March 16, the European Parliament will hold an urgent debate on the topic “Ukrainian political prisoners in Russia and situation in Crimea”, after which they will vote for the resolution on this issue. At the moment, text of the document is being discussed by different political prisoners, who are determining their position.

Consideration of this issue is scheduled for the first half of Thursday, March 16.

We note that, the European Parliament is expected to adopt an appropriate resolution on the results of the discussion.

“It is our third year of fight for the release of Ukrainian citizens, who were imprisoned in Russian prisons on fabricated criminal charges. The number of such prisoners is constantly growing and now stands at the number of at least 44 persons. Among them are Oleg Sentsov, recognized by Amnesty International as a prisoner of conscience, human rights defender Emir-Useyin Kuku, journalist Roman Sushchenko, Ahtem Chiygoz, Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis of The Crimean Tatar People, and many others”, – said in the statement.

It is indicated that this year the occupation authorities in Crimea “began to exemplary arrest the lawyers of political prisoners and people who give them parcels”.

“This means that the barometer of unfreedom in the occupied peninsula reached its critical point and requires an immediate response from the international community”, – said in the statement.

Relatives of political prisoners asked to include the statements on the new form of EU sanctions against the Russian Federation in the text of the resolution of the European Parliament on “Ukrainian political prisoners in Russian and situation in Crimea”.

It is also proposed to appoint a special EU representative to carry out constant monitoring of the situation with violation of human rights in the Crimea and Donbas.

At the same time, relatives of political prisoners asked the European Union to begin an investigation in search of “dirty money” of the Russian leadership, demand that Russia allowed access to the occupied territories, to stop the practice of political persecution and the asked for immediate release of Ukrainian citizens, who are detained for political reasons.

Also relatives asked “to start monitoring the fabricated trials of victims of political persecution in the Russian Federation and occupied Crimea. As well as to continue the practice of participation of diplomats of the European Union member-states in court hearings, which will be held on the territory of the Russian Federation”.

Relatives also asked “to organize missions to attract doctors to the places of detention of Ukrainian citizens” and “to create an operational working group on forming the list of people involved in the fabrication of criminal cases against Ukrainian citizens… and to impose personal sanctions against them”.

The statement was signed by more than 50 people, including relatives of Oleg Sentsov, Roman Sushchenko, Andriy Zakhtiy, Stanislav Klykh, Yevgen Panov and others.