MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Russia - in particular the convictions of Eston Kohver, Oleg Sentzov, and Alexander Kolchenko
8.9.2015 - (2015/2838(RSP))
pursuant to Rule 135 of the Rules of Procedure
Charles Tannock, Mark Demesmaeker, Geoffrey Van Orden, Anna Elżbieta Fotyga, Ryszard Antoni Legutko, Karol Karski, Ryszard Czarnecki, Tomasz Piotr Poręba, Stanisław Ożóg, Zbigniew Kuźmiuk, Zdzisław Krasnodębski, Raffaele Fitto, Jana Žitňanská, Ruža Tomašić, Roberts Zīle, Arne Gericke on behalf of the ECR Group
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B8-0845/2015
B8‑0847/2015
European Parliament resolution on Russia - in particular the convictions of Eston Kohver, Oleg Sentzov, and Alexander Kolchenko
The European Parliament,
– having regard to its resolution of 23 October 2013 on the ‘European Neighbourhood Policy: towards a strengthening of the partnership – position of the European Parliament on the 2012 reports’[1],
– having regard to the Joint Declaration of the Vilnius Eastern Partnership Summit of 29 November 2013,
– having regard to the Constitution of Russia, in particular Article 118 thereof, which states that justice in the Russian Federation is to be administered by courts alone, and Article 120 thereof, which provides that judges are independent and are subordinate only to the Russian Constitution and federal law,
− having regard to its previous joint motion for resolutions on the situation in Ukraine of 14 January 2015,
− having regard to its previous resolution on the case of Nadiya Savchenko of 28 April 2015,
− having regard to the EU-Russia human rights consultations of 28 November 2013,
− having regard to Rule 135 of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas Eston Kohver, an Estonian police officer, was abducted on the 5th of September 2014 at gunpoint by the Russian Security Services (FSB) on Estonian soil near a quiet village of Miikse nine kilometres from the nearest border crossing;
B. whereas according to Estonian security sources Kohver was meeting an informant in a secluded spot on the border as part of an organised crime investigation; whereas the abduction was well-planned by the FSB and equipment such as communications jamming, smoke bombs and stun grenades were used;
C. whereas Kohver's abduction was timed to coincide with a NATO summit in Wales and is considered being one among a series of provocations designed to show that the EU and NATO are not prepared to defend former Soviet and Communist states despite their treaty obligations;
D. whereas on the 19th of August 2015 a judgment in the case of Kohver was made public by the Pskov Oblast's regional court; whereas Kohver was accused of espionage and sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment in a high security prison;
E. whereas no public hearing of the case was arranged and the Estonian consul was not allowed to be present at the hearings; whereas the appointed attorney of Kohver has repeatedly made unclear or even provocative statements including those that seek to undermine the Estonian authorities;
F. whereas regular meetings with the Estonian consul have been the only link to the outside world; whereas FSB officials have participated in these meetings and have immediately interrupted all discussions about the proceedings;
G. whereas the Russian Federation, as a full member of the Council of Europe and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), has committed itself to the principles of democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights; whereas as a result of several serious violations of the rule of law and the adoption of restrictive laws during the past months, there are increasing concerns with regard to Russia’s compliance with international and national obligations;
H. whereas, on 10 May 2014 Oleh Sentsov, a Ukrainian film director, was illegally arrested in Crimea and later illegally transferred across the border to the Russian territory in order to be put on trial; whereas on 16 May 2014 Oleksandr Kolchenko, and Ukrainian anti-fascist activist, was also detained and transferred to the same military court in Rostov-on-Don; whereas both men were charged with plotting terrorist acts, arson and assault and sentenced to 20 and 10 years in prison, respectively;
I. whereas, after annexation of Crimea, both Mr Sentsov and Kolchenko were treated as Russian citizens, despite their claims of holding Ukrainian citizenship;
J. whereas Nadia Savchenko, abducted by Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine and later illegally transferred across the border and handed over to Russian officials, is still being held in custody, charged with killing of two Russian journalists;
1. Strongly condemns the unlawful detainment of Eston Kohver as a blatant breach of international law;;
2. Strongly condemns the Pskov Oblast regional court decision to sentence Kohver to 15 years of imprisonment and stresses that Kohver has been deprived of the right for a fair trial; likewise, strongly condemns the illegal arrests and imprisonment of O. Sentsov and O. Kolchenko and the use of torture to obtain their testimonies;
3. Urges Russian Federation to act according to its international obligations and release Mr Kohver, Ms Savchenko, Mr Sentsov, Mr Kolchenko and to immediately and guarantee their safe return to Estonia and Ukraine, respectively; urges the Russian judicial and law enforcement authorities to carry out their duties in the future in an impartial and independent manner;
4. Strongly condemns blatant violation of the territorial integrity of Ukraine and Estonia by the illegal kidnapping of citizens of both countries in order to charge them in front of a Russian court;
5. Underlines that the Russian Federation has agreed to the exchange of all political hostages and illegally detained people under the Minsk Agreements; voices its concern over the fact that Russia not only has not fulfilled this commitment, but has further aggravated the situation; urges Russian Authorities to immediately and without any condition release political prisoners, including Nadia Savchenko;
6. Recalls the importance of Russia’s full compliance with its international legal obligations, as a member of the Council of Europe and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and with the fundamental human rights and the rule of law enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR);
7. Calls on the High Representative and the European External Action Service (EEAS) to ensure that the cases of all persons abducted, prosecuted or sentenced for political reasons are raised in EU-Russia human rights consultations, and that Russia’s representatives in these consultations are formally requested to respond in each case;
8. Calls on the Presidents of the Council and the Commission, as well as the VP/HR to continue to follow these cases closely, to raise these issues in different formats and meetings with Russia, and to report back to Parliament on the exchanges with the Russian authorities;
9. Urges the Council to develop a unified policy towards Russia that commits the 28 EU Member States and EU institutions to a strong common message towards respecting the regional integrity of member states;
10. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Council of Europe, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and the President, Government and Parliament of the Russian Federation.
- [1] Texts adopted, P7_TA(2013)0446.