MP Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Freedom of Speech, has asked the National Police, in their capacity as an Interpol representative, to protect the Institute of Mass Information (IMI) expert Iryna Zemlyana, whom a court in Russia had recently sentenced to 13 years in prison in absentia on false charges of attacking the Russian Ambassador to Poland, Sergei Andreyev, in Warsaw in 2022, Yurchyshyn wrote in a Facebook post.

“This may seem like just another absurdity by Russia, but there is a real danger. Russia is pressuring Interpol to put a Ukrainian citizen on the international wanted list. If this happens, it may lead to her being deported to Russia. Iryna has already been forced to leave Warsaw due to threats by the Russians,” the MP wrote.

Yurchyshyn said that it was important that Ukraine used the official diplomatic channels and warned that “this is all a Russian fake and another attempt to put pressure on our media professionals, through court this time.”

“I have addressed the National Police of Ukraine as our representative in Interpol. I hope for a prompt response. We in the Freedom of Speech Committee and as the Verkhovna Rada’s Temporary Commission to Investigate Russia’s Crimes Against Journalists will also be monitoring the situation,” Yaroslav Yurchyshyn added.

Earlier, the Moscow City Court (Russia) has sentenced the Institute of Mass Information (IMI) media expert Iryna Zemlyana to 13 years in a low-security prison in absentia for allegedly attacking Sergei Andreev, the Russian Ambassador to Poland, in Warsaw in 2022. Iryna Zemlyana says that the ruling is politically motivated and is part of a pressure campaign against her; according to her, the charges are entirely fabricated.

Previously

In November 2022, Russia declared Iryna Zemlyana a wanted person, opening a criminal case against her for allegedly attacking the Russian ambassador Sergei Andreev in Warsaw (Poland). Iryna notes that she did not commit the attack.

A group of protesters doused the ambassador with a red liquid as he was trying to lay flowers at the Mausoleum of Soviet Soldiers on 9 May 2022. Many protesters had red paint stains on their clothes to symbolise blood. They chanted such words as “fascists,” “ruscists,” and “murderers.”

Iryna Zemlyana, who participated in the campaign, had to leave Warsaw following a series of death threats.

Poland investigated death threats to Iryna Zemlyana by Russians and others. In June 2023, Polish prosecutors paused the investigation into the Russian ambassador in Warsaw, Sergei Andreev, being doused with paint on 9 May 2022.

The National Police of Ukraine opened a case following Zemlyana’s statement after the incident with the Russian ambassador in Warsaw. Later, the Shevchenkiv District Police Department in Kyiv closed the criminal case over death and doxxing threats to the IMI expert Iryna Zemlyana. However, the court ordered to resume the investigation.

Interpol is yet to decide whether to declare her an international wanted person at Russia’s request or not.

In February 2024, Iryna Zemlyana, an expert at the Institute of Mass Information, was added to the list of “terrorists and extremists” maintained by the Russian Federal Service for Financial Monitoring (Rosfinmonitoring).