EU Commissioner Hahn calls on Russian to allow Sentsov receive Sakharov Prize in person

08.12.2018 14:18

Ukrinform

European Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn calls on Russia to release Ukrainian director Oleg Sentsov from prison so that he could receive the Sakharov Prize in person.

“Next week, Ukrainian film director Oleg Sentsov will be awarded the Sakharov Prize by the European Parliament. Convicted to 20 years in prison, he won’t be able to receive the prize in person. I reiterate therefore: Let Sentsov Get Sakharov Prize,” Hahn posted on Twitter.

Next week, #Ukrainian film director Oleg #Sentsov will be awarded the #SakharovPrize by @Europarl_EN. Convicted to 20 years in prison,he won’t be able to receive the prize in person. I reiterate therefore: #LetSentsovGetSakharov pic.twitter.com/pGFm93hN1G
— Johannes Hahn (@JHahnEU) 7 декабря 2018 г.

As reported, Ukrainian film director Oleg Sentsov and activist Oleksandr Kolchenko were detained in Crimea on May 10, 2014. Sentsov was sentenced to 20 years in prison and Kolchenko to 10 years on trumped-up charges of plotting terrorist acts.

Currently, about 70 Ukrainian political prisoners are held in Russia and the annexed Crimea, including Ukrinform correspondent Roman Sushchenko, who was sentenced to 12 years in a maximum-security penal colony in Russia for alleged spying.