Russians sentenced 68-year-old resident of Zaporizhzhia region to 11 years in prison for allegedly supporting the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Russians sentenced a 68-year-old resident of the temporarily occupied part of Zaporizhzhia region to 11 years in prison for allegedly transferring funds to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This was reported by the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets.

According to him, information has emerged about the sentence for a woman named Halyna Bekhter. The Ombudsman stressed that this case is yet another proof of the systematic persecution of Ukrainian civilians in the temporarily occupied territories.

“The story of Halyna Bekhter is yet another proof that the Russians are systematically persecuting Ukrainian civilians in the temporarily occupied territories, trying to intimidate people and suppress any support for Ukraine,” Lubinets noted.

He emphasized that the so-called “courts” created by the Russian authorities have no legitimacy and cannot make legal decisions regarding Ukrainian citizens.

According to the ombudsman, when an elderly woman is targeted by a repressive system, this is not evidence of justice, but of terror against the civilian population.

Lubinets reported that he had sent an appeal to the International Committee of the Red Cross, and also raised the issue of including the woman in the list of civilians illegally detained by the Russian Federation.

In addition, the ombudsman sent a letter to the Russian human rights commissioner with a demand to confirm the place of detention of the Ukrainian woman and ensure that her rights are respected.

He emphasized that such cases are not isolated, since Russia systematically persecutes Ukrainians in the occupied territories, abducts them and tortures them. According to Lubinets, these actions are a gross violation of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War.

“Illegally detained Ukrainians must return home – all of them without exception. And we are fighting for the return of each and every one of them,” the ombudsman concluded.