European Solidarity is initiating a resolution by the Verkhovna Rada demanding the authorities to release all “political prisoners”, MPs Volodymyr Ariev and Maria Ionova, who on Feb. 9 tried to attend a hearing on the Sheremet case, said.
“We are all witnessing that it was [President of Ukraine Volodymyr] Zelensky and Minister [of Internal Affairs Arsen] Avakov who appointed the perpetrators. But we advocate that those responsible in the Sheremet case were found and innocent people were released. Because Antonenko has been in prison for more than a year, Yulia Kuzmenko has been in prison for seven months, and Yana has been under house arrest for about six months. And now they continue to keep Andriy behind bars as Zelensky’s political prisoner,” the press service of the European Solidardity quotes Ionova on Feb. 9.
The MPs said that they were not allowed to attend the meeting in Shevchenkivsky court, contrary to the law.
“Another trial of Andriy Antonenko, Yulia Kuzmenko and Yana Duhar – and again the MPs were not allowed into the courtroom, despite the existing legislation on the status of an MP,” Ariev said.
“From the European Solidarity, we initiate a draft resolution on the release of political prisoners in Ukraine. This applies to Antonenko, Kuzmenko, Duhar, this also applies to the call sign ‘Fortuna’, this applies to many patriots of Ukraine, volunteers, former ATO participants, whom the power of Zelensky throws him behind bars now,” the MP said.
Ionova said that European Solidarity will insist on considering this resolution in the Verkhovna Rada.
“Because we see where Ukraine is slipping, human rights are not protected. The president, who speaks about allegedly European values and European principles, completely betrays them,” she said.
Ariev also said that European Solidarity will insist on the creation of TIC in the Sheremet case and in the case of disrupting the special operation against the Wagner fighters.
“And definitely we will also appeal to all international organizations. We will raise this issue in PACE, OSCE, raise this issue at the next session of Euronest of the Eastern Partnership of the European Parliament. The Ukrainian authorities are holding political prisoners. And the international community should make every effort to ensure that these people were released, and the Criminal Code was no longer used to settle political scores,” he said.
