On 1 November, the so-called court of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic convicted three Ukrainian servicemen on trumped-up charges, Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets has said.
"Today, the so-called court of the DPR terrorist group convicted three Ukrainian servicemen on trumped-up charges. The head of the radiation, chemical and biological defence service, Oleh Kolmychevskyy, was sentenced to life imprisonment. Two soldiers from the 56th Separate Mechanised Brigade - grenade launcher Dmytro Dobrovolskyy and gunner Oleksandr Romashyn - were sentenced to 30 years in prison," the ombudsman said.
Lubinets pointed out that the announced "sentences" were handed down by the quasi-entities unrecognised by the international community and are illegal. Such a "trial" is a violation of the right to fair justice and another war crime by Russia.
"Donetsk Region is a part of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders and is the jurisdiction of Ukrainian courts. Only they have the right to administer justice on this territory," he emphasised.
He called on the international community to increase pressure on Russia to stop the practice of convicting Ukrainian citizens by kangaroo courts.