Ukraine in OSCE called Russia to release Aseyev

Ukraine called on the Russian side  to immediately release journalist Stanislav Aseyev and all other illegally detained Ukrainian citizens. The Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the International Organizations in Vienna Yevhen Tsymbalyuk said it at the OSCE Permanent Council meeting on Thursday, October 31, as Ukrinform reported.

“We urge the Russian side to immediate release Stanislav Aseev and all other unlawfully detained Ukrainian citizens. The pressure of the international community on Russia is critical to secure the unconditional release of all Ukrainian citizens held hostages in the Russian Federation or in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. The same pressure, including through restrictive measures and economic sanctions, remains necessary to hold Russia accountable for its ongoing violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the temporarily occupied Crimea.”, Yevhen Tsymbalyuk said.

The diplomat reminded that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine condemned the recent pseudo-sentence to Stanislav Aseev, who once again confirmed that "the occupation regime considers independent journalism as one of the main threats to its functioning. T". Those involved in Mr. Aseev’s detention will be held accountable in accordance with the Criminal Code of Ukraine."

Tsymbalyuk stressed that Ukraine continues to pay utmost attention to activities of the Russian side in the occupied parts of Donbass, "including its pressure, intimidation and political persecutions of Ukrainian citizens".

As reported by IMI, the European Union has called for the immediate release of Ukrainian journalist Stanislav Aseev, who was illegally imprisoned by Russian-controlled militants.

On October 22, pro-Russian militia in the Donetsk People’s Republic sentenced the Ukrainian journalist Stanislav Aseev to 15 years in prison for several articles related to the organization of extremist organization, espionage, incitement to espionage, public calls for extremist activities, extremist activities violating the territorial integrity.

Stanislav Aseev, Donetsk blogger and correspondent for the Radio Liberty project “Radio Donbass.Reality”, known under the pseudonym Stanislav Vasin, went missing on June 2, 2017. Representatives of the DPR confirmed the detention of Aseyev, accusing him of espionage in favor of Ukraine.

Stanislav Aseev worked as a journalist in occupied Donetsk and wrote reports about life in uncontrolled territory.