The pardon commission of Russia's Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District has receive two requests to pardon Ukrainian film director Oleh Sentsov, who is serving a jail term on made-up terrorism charges. However, it dismissed both requests without consideration, Interfax said, quoting the governor's press service.
"We confirm that the pardon commission has received two applications, both not from Oleh Sentsov. A pardon request must be written by Sentsov in person, therefore the requests were dismissed," the press service said.
The two requests – from Sentsov's mother and Simferopol and Crimean Archbishop Kliment – were initially addressed to the Russian president whose office forwarded them to the pardon commission of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District.