Occupiers have "sentenced" Ihor Lema, defender of Mariupol, to 21 years in penal colony. PHOTO
The so-called "supreme court" of the occupied Donetsk region has handed down an unlawful sentence to Ihor Lema, a defender of Mariupol and a serviceman of the Ukrainian National Guard. He has been sentenced to 21 years’ imprisonment, to be served in a strict-regime penal colony.
This was reported by the Mariupol City Council, as relayed by Censor.NET.
What is known
As noted, the occupiers accused the Ukrainian soldier of allegedly murdering a civilian in Mariupol. According to the Russian investigation, Ihor Lema was carrying out a "criminal plan" and shot the man.
It is emphasised that all these allegations are based solely on materials from the Russian investigation, which does not allow for international observers, independent lawyers or a public examination of the evidence.
Over four years in Russian captivity
In fact, this is yet another case of fabricated criminal prosecution against a defender of Mariupol, who has been held in Russian captivity for over four years.
"The invaders are increasingly handing down so-called ‘sentences’ to Ukrainian prisoners of war. This is part of a systematic practice by the Russian Federation — to punish Ukrainian military personnel not for crimes, but for the very fact of resisting the Russian occupation," the city council emphasised.
