Activists require to free Sentsov at the Odessa International Film Festival

16 July, a group of activists gathered at the Festival Palace of the 6th Odessa International Film Festival to call for releasing Oleg Sentsov illegally kept in Russia.

The organisers of the rally explained that it was dedicated to the screening of fragments of Ascold Kurov’s documentary Free Oleg Sentsov to take place 17 July in the framework of the WORK IN PROGRESS section, where producers and directors present their shot full-length feature films to be distributed in 2014-2015.

In Russia, hearing of Sentsov’s criminal case will start 21 July 2015. Such decision was made by Severo-Kazansky military court in Rostov-on-Don. Sentsov’s arrest has been extended till 16 December 2015.

To remind, Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov was detained in Crimea on 11 May 2014 on a charge of terrorism and was later brought to Moscow prison of Lefortovo. The advocate says Sentsov has been repeatedly tortured in order to draw his confession. He is threatened with 20 years of imprisonment.

Ukraine considers such Russian actions illegal and requires freeing its citizen.

Ievgen Reznik, Stanislav Rico EMPR.

Данная публикация также доступна на русском языке.