If Russia has nothing to hide in its ‘prosecution’ of 24 Ukrainian POWs, why is the FSB asking for their detention court hearings to be held behind closed doors? Even in Russia, court hearings are open unless state secrets or similar are involved. It is no state secret that Russia violated international law, both through its attack on and seizure of three Ukrainian naval boats on November 25, 2018, and the taking of 24 Ukrainians prisoner. Russia does, however, have an interest in minimizing media and diplomatic attention to its holding of Ukrainian POWs, and this is clearly the reason for trying to block access to court hearings. This was probably also the motive for Russian Human Rights Ombudswoman Tatyana Moskalkova suddenly having to ‘make an urgent trip’ and canceling a planned meeting with her Ukrainian counterpart, Lyudmila Denisova.
Russia's War Against Ukraine
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Halya Coynash: Russia tries to impose secrecy on its illegal seizure of 24 Ukrainian sailors
A Russia's FSB security service officer escorts a detained Ukrainian sailor to a courthouse in Simferopol, Crimea, on Nov. 27, 2018.
