Russians forced a confession of terrorism from a Ukrainian woman and sentenced her to 8 years.
Ukrainian Irina Navalna pleaded guilty to terrorism charges. She stated that she was forced to confess under duress and torture. Her lawyer, Ivan Bondarenko, confirmed this information.
Irina Navalna recounted that during the interrogation, she was tortured with electric shocks and beaten to make her confess her involvement in preparing the explosion. The Russians promised her that she would be exchanged to Ukraine. A court in Rostov-on-Don claims that Irina planned to carry out an explosion near the administration of Mariupol when an illegal «referendum» on joining Russia was taking place. The accusation also alleges that she received money from Ukrainian special services to purchase explosives. The prosecutor demanded 14 years of imprisonment, but the court sentenced her to 8 years and imposed a fine.
During the trial, Irina stated that her confessions were coerced. She claimed that the Russians used electric shockers and threatened her to extract confessions. In exchange for this, she was promised return to Ukraine.
Lawyer Bondarenko intends to appeal the verdict, as the main witnesses for the prosecution retracted their initial testimonies. One of them stated that he saw Irina only during her arrest.
«8 years in such conditions is a sort of «compliment» from the court. Everyone understands, but cannot justify. This is my personal opinion», noted the lawyer.
Irina also reported being tortured in the detention center. Journalists refused to talk to the girl, for which she was beaten and thrown into a basement where other Ukrainian prisoners of war were held.
Irina was evacuated from Mariupol before the Russian invasion but returned there because of her grandmother. A month after her return, she was detained. Ukraine considers Irina a prisoner of war.
In other news, U.S. citizen Steven Hubbard was sentenced to imprisonment for participating in combat on the side of Ukraine. Also, one conscript who dodged mobilization received a prison sentence.
Judge Igor Dashutin, who is a member of the Supreme Court of Ukraine, lives in an elite cottage town in Kyiv. However, he does not own any property there.
Read also
- In the US, genetic genealogy helped find a murderer who committed a crime 50 years ago
- In Turkey, a man on a paraglider injured a 15-year-old girl, she is in intensive care
- Deferral processing in 'Reserve+': service for students and people with disabilities has started
- A new honorary consulate of Ukraine has opened in Turkey
- Putin signed a mutual defense agreement with North Korea
- Iran denied involvement in Trump's assassination attempt