Ukrainian film director Oleh Sentsov, who was illegally convicted in Russia has been transferred to a solitary confinement cell, his sister Natalia Kaplan has said.
“Oleh Sentsov is in a punitive isolation cell. Some think that now a green light for torture has been given in prison,” Kaplan wrote on her Facebook page on Oct. 22.
Speaking on the air of the 112 Ukraine Channel, she said Sentsov was transferred to the solitary confinement cell for 15 days. She also didn’t rule out torture and pressure may be applied to him.
For his part, Ukraine’s Deputy Justice Minister Serhiy Petukhov on his Facebook page confirmed that Sentsov was transferred to a punitive isolation cell for 15 days, and noted that torture is prohibited by the European Convention on Human Rights, which Russia also signed.
“Russia must ensure permanent access for Ukrainian consul and representatives of the Red Cross to Oleh [Sentsov] to monitor his health and to ensure his personal safety,” Petukhov wrote.
On October 21, Petukhov said Russia refused to hand over Sentsov and Oleksandr Kolchenko to Ukraine for serving their sentences in their home country.
It was reported earlier that on August 2015, Russia’s North Caucasus District Military Court found Sentsov and Kolchenko guilty of establishing a terrorist group in Crimea, committing two terrorist attacks and plotting another one, and an attempt to acquire explosive devices. The two were also convicted of illegal storage of weapons. Sentsov was given 20 years in prison and Kolchenko 10 years.
Early this May, Sentsov and Kolchenko filled out forms for their extradition to Ukraine.
On June 1 the Russian Supreme Court refused to consider the appeal against the verdict of Sentsov and Kolchenko.
Kyiv has repeatedly said that the Sentsov-Kolchenko case is politically motivated.
