The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine should strengthen diplomatic pressure on the Russian Federation and achieve the liberation of the Ukrainian captives from Putin’s prisons. This was stated during the speech in Verkhovna Rada by the head of UKROP, MP Taras Batenko. The representatives of the “Ukrainian Association of Patriots” Iryna Konstankevych, Viktor Shevchenko, Valentyn Didych, Oleksandr Dubinin and Vitaliy Kupriy joined parliamentarian at the rostrum. The UKROP members came to the Verkhovna Rada wearing T-shirts with a print #FREESENTSOV.
“Today, Russia has nothing to do in a civilized world. We should call on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine to continue strengthening diplomatic pressure on the Russian Federation within the UN, the Council of Europe and the OSCE in order to condemn the policy of oppression and persecution of dissidents in Russia, as well as to liberate the Ukrainian captives of the Kremlin. We need our national heroes alive,” said Taras Batenko.
The MP has noted that UKROP acknowledges the efforts of the Ukrainian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, which is doing everything to prevent the Russian delegation’s return to PACE. At the same time, the representatives of the “Ukrainian Association of Patriots” urge the civilized world to take seriously the violation of human rights and freedoms in the territory of the Russian Federation.
“We see how today the world community is shaking hands with Putin at some high forums and does not raise the issue of human rights protection, as it has always been,” said the UKROP member.
According to Taras Batenko, the Ukrainian authorities, headed by the President and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, should take all possible measures for the liberation of illegally sentenced Ukrainians.
“The representatives of the “Ukrainian Association of Patriots” in Parliament, as well as our representatives in all regional and local councils of Ukraine, join the efforts that are made today by the Ukrainian civil society, national and international human rights organizations in order to release the Ukrainian prisoners of conscience from the Russian prisons, in particular the film-maker Oleg Sentsov,” said Taras Batenko.
