Foreign Ministry protests against Balukh’s sentence

Spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry Mariana Betsa wrote this on Twitter.

“Occupant’s retaliation. Five years for patriotism. It is absolutely arbitrary and illegal ‘verdict’ for Balukh. We express protest to the Russian Federation," Betsa wrote.

She also called on allies to put pressure on the Kremlin for the liberation of Baluch.

"We demand the release of all our political prisoners from the Russian Federation," Betsa added.

As reported, Kremlin-controlled Rozdolne District Court in Crimea on July 5 sentenced Ukrainian activist Volodymyr Balukh, accused of allegedly beating a head of the temporary detention facility, to five years of imprisonment and to a fine of 10,000 rubles,.

About 70 Ukrainian political prisoners are held in Russia and in the territory of the occupied Crimea, including Ukrinform correspondent Roman Sushchenko, who was sentenced to 12 years in prison on trumped-up espionage charges.

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