MEDIA RELEASE
11 May 2017
Ukrainians in Australia support UWC calls for action in support of imposing sanctions against individuals responsible for the unlawful imprisonment of filmmaker Oleh Sentsov
The Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations (AFUO) calls on the Australian Government to intervene and protest the unlawful imprisonment of acclaimed Ukrainian filmmaker Oleh Sentsov.
Oleh Sentsov was arrested on 10 May 2014 on politically motivated charges for his peaceful protest the illegal occupation of Crimea by forces of the Russian Federation. Three years later he continues to languish in a Russian prison having been sentenced in August 2015 to 20 years of hard labour.
The AFUO joins with Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) in its call on Ukrainians around the world to join the campaign urging governments to impose sanctions against individuals responsible for the unlawful imprisonment.
“Here is another example of violation of human rights, the contravening of international standards and principles, yet internationally Governments stand idle,” AFUO Chairman Stefan Romaniw said.
“The AFUO has on numerous occasions stated the bigger the footprint in Ukraine by Putin, the more his actions on the violation of human rights are tolerated and allowed to go untested the more dangerous the world becomes.
Sentsov and other illegally detained prisoners deserve international attention and support,” Mr. Romaniw said.
The AFUO calls on its member organisations and members of the community to contact their local Federal Member of Parliament (www.aph.gov.au) and human rights organisations to act now.
More information on the trials of the political prisoners, including guides on submitting letters of support can be found on the web site of the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group.
#FreeSentsov
Further information contact – Stefan Romaniw 0419 531 255
