Yuriy Hura, Maksym Kliuchka, Serhiy Kosolap, Oleksiy Chernysh, Ihor Romantsev, Mykola Vorobel and Oleksiy Vorobel are political prisoners
Seven Ukrainians have been sentenced to long prison terms for serving in the Aidar Battalion
The ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ human rights project, in accordance with international standards, considers Yuriy Hura, Maksym Kliuchka, Serhiy Kosolap, Oleksiy Chernysh, Ihor Romantsev, Mykola Vorobel and Oleksiy Vorobel political prisoners. The seven Ukrainians have been convicted of participating in a terrorist organisation for serving in the Aidar Battalion, a unit of the Ukrainian armed forces. All except Hura have also been convicted on charges of undergoing training for purposes of carrying out terrorist activities. Their criminal prosecutions and convictions violate their rights to fair trial, as well as the Geneva Conventions on Treatment of Prisoners of War and on the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War. We demand that their convictions be quashed, all criminal charges against them be dropped, and full compliance with international law in their treatment. We also demand the release of Yuriy Hura and Serhiy Kosolap, and the release of Mykola Vorobel, Oleksiy Chernyshev and the other individuals if they are not prisoners of war.
What were the charges against the Ukrainian citizens?
Yuriy Hura, Maksym Kliuchka, Serhiy Kosolap, Oleksiy Chernysh, Ihor Romantsev, Mykola Vorobel and Oleksiy Vorobel served in the 24th Separate Assault Battalion of the Ukrainian armed forces, formed in 2015 on the basis of the Aidar Battalion. According to the prosecution, they all participated in a terrorist group (Article 205.4, Part 2, of the Russian Criminal Code), and all, except for Yuriy Hura, underwent training for purposes of carrying out terrorist activities (Article 205.3).
At the time of their arrest, some of those convicted were civilians, having already completed their service in the Ukrainian armed forces. However, all were remanded in custody and put on trial by a Russian military court.
Yuriy Hura was sentenced to five and a half years’ imprisonment, while Maksym Kliuchka, Oleksiy Chernysh and Serhiy Kosolap were sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment. The sentences handed down to Ihor Romantsev, Mykola Vorobel and Oleksiy Vorobel are not known.
Why do we consider the seven Ukrainian civilians political prisoners?
All the defendants were convicted on a charge of participating in a terrorist organisation (Article 205.4) for the sole reason that they had served in the Aidar Battalion. This Battalion was unlawfully and unjustifiably classified by the courts that handed down the sentences as a terrorist group. The Aidar Battalion is part of the Ukrainian armed force and carries out combat tasks in accordance with the orders of the Ukrainian military command. Moreover, the norms of anti-terrorist legislation are not applicable to armed conflict.
The charge of undergoing training for purposes of carrying out terrorist activities (Article 205.3) is also inapplicable in their cases. The soldiers underwent training not for purposes of terrorism, but in order to carry out their legitimate combat tasks.
In international law, Russia’s military actions against Ukraine are unlawful and criminal, while Ukraine’s actions in defending itself against aggression are lawful and justified. Defending one’s country from military invasion is not a crime. Criminal prosecution of the defendants would only be justified if they were charged with war crimes, but no such charges were brought against them.
Prosecution of current and former soldiers of the Aidar Battalion is in gross violation of the provisions of the Geneva Conventions on the treatment of prisoners of war and of civilians during time of war.
A detailed description of the case and of our position is available on our website.
Recognition of an individual as a political prisoner does not imply the ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ human rights project agrees with, or approves, their views, statements, or actions.
How can you help?
You can write to Mykola Vorobel at the following address:
RU: 344064, г. Ростов-на-Дону, ул. Тоннельная, д. 4, ФКУ СИЗО-5 ГУФСИН России по Ростовской области, Воробелю Николаю Михайловичу 1991 г. р.
EN: Mykola Mykhailovych Vorobel (born 1991), Remand Prison No. 5, Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for Rostov Oblast, 4 Tonnelnaya Street, Rostov-on-Don, 344064, Russia.
You can also send an email using the ZT service (for payment with all bank cards), OVD-Info and Memorial-France (free of charge).
Please note that letters in languages other than Russian are highly unlikely to reach the intended recipient.
If you have information about the remand prison or penal colony where Yuriy Hura, Maksym Kliuchka, Serhiy Kosolap, Oleksiy Chernysh, Ihor Romantsev, or Oleksiy Vorobel are being held, please let us know via our Telegram bot or email: [email protected].
You can donate to help all political prisoners in Russia.
