A rally titled “Free Markiv” is being held in the center of Kyiv in support of Ukrainian National Guard serviceman Vitaliy Markiv, who was detained in Italy on charges of killing journalist Andrea Rocchelli in the area of Donbas war.
As of 10.10 a.m., about 80 public activists, Markiv’s comrades from the General Kulchytsky battalion, and Donbas war veterans began a procession from the Independence Monument to the Italian Embassy in Ukraine. They are holding the flags of Ukraine, the Kulchytsky battalion and a poster with the inscription “We Demand a Fair Trial.”
The column is accompanied by about ten police officers. The rally is peaceful.
The purpose of the event is to call on Italian justice to conduct an impartial investigation into the case and attract the attention of the international community.
Activists believe that the investigation was biased and see Russia’s influence.
Among other things, they urged a court in Italy to change the measure of restraint for Markov and bring in an acquittal.
As reported, Ukrainian Deputy Prosecutor General Yevhen Yenin said that Ukraine had no claims to the investigation into the case of Ukrainian National Guard serviceman Vitaliy Markiv, who was arrested in Italy, but relied on the objectivity of the Italian side in this matter and the agreement to establish a joint investigation team.
Ukrainian serviceman Markiv was detained in Italy on June 30, 2017 on suspicion of killing Rocchelli near Sloviansk, Donetsk region, in May 2014. The Ukrainian is in the Italian city of Pavia.
