Ambassador of Ukraine to Italy Yevhen Perelyhin has called the Italian media for unbiased coverage of case related to Ukrainian national guardsman Vitaliy Markiv, the respective appeal was published in II Venerdi magazine, an embassy’s press service reported on Facebook.
“The tragic story of the Italian journalist Andrea Rockelle should not be considered outside the context of Russian aggression against which Ukrainian defenders, including Vitaliy Markiv, have been fighting. Despite everything, I believe in justice of the Italian judicial system, which should demonstrate its impartiality by restoring freedom and dignity to Vitaliy Markiv,” said the ambassador.
It is noted that the publication, which was published in a limited edition, was the result of a prolonged dialogue of the embassy with the management and journalists of La Repubblica edition about the presentation of an alternative point of view by the Italian media.
As reported, on July 12, 2019, the Italian court sentenced national guardsman Markiv to 24 years in prison, finding him guilty of complicity in the premeditated murder of Italian photojournalist Andrea Rocchelli in 2014.
On July 24, 2019, Zelensky held a phone conversation with Conte during which they discussed the conviction of Markiv. Zelensky offered legal assistance with a joint inquiry into Rocchelli’s death. The president expressed concern over the unjustifiably harsh court ruling and stressed the importance of an impartial consideration of this case by the Italian court of appeal.
On Sept. 24, 2019, during a meeting in New York, Zelensky proposed Conte to create a joint investigation team to determine the circumstances of the death of Italian photojournalist Rocchelli in eastern Ukraine.
The Court of Appeal in Lombardia will consider an appeal filed by Markiv’s defense team in spring 2020.
