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Human rights ombudsperson calls for ensuring fair trial for journalist jailed in Ukraine

If found guilty, the journalist may face up to 15 years

MOSCOW, March 21. /TASS/. There is a need to ensure a fair trial for RIA Novosti Ukraine news agency Chief Editor Kirill Vyshinsky who should be acquitted, Human Rights Ombudsperson Tatyana Moskalkova told reporters upon her return from Kiev where she had attended a hearing of the Vyshinsky case.

"There is a need to ensure a fair trial, make sure that he is acquitted, rather than talk about exchanging him and creating some human exchange fund," she said.

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Red Cross doctors visit Russian journalist Vyshinsky in Ukrainian prison — ombudsperson

Moskalkova pointed out that Vyshinsky himself opposed the idea of exchanging him for any of the Ukrainian nationals imprisoned in Russia. "He said exchange was out of the question for he only sought a fair trial," the ombudsperson emphasized.

She added that "it is very important to make sure that the trial is consistent with national legislation and international law."

On Wednesday, Ukraine’s Criminal Court of Cassation (part of the Supreme Court) submitted the case concerning Vyshinsky’s arrest to the Joint Chamber of Cassation. Vyshinsky had earlier been allowed to attend the Wednesday hearing and brought to Kiev from Kherson.

Vyshinsky case

On May 15, 2018, the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) carried out a large-scale operation against RIA Novosti Ukraine staff members, accusing them of high treason. The news outlet’s Chief Editor Kirill Vyshinsky was arrested. The SBU issued a statement claiming that "a network of media structures, which Moscow used for carrying out a hybrid war" against Kiev had been exposed.

Charges against Vyshinsky are particularly based on a number of the journalist’s articles dedicated to the 2014 events in Crimea. If found guilty, the journalist may face up to 15 years. However, he pleaded not guilty.

Vyshinsky, originally a Ukrainian national, obtained Russian citizenship in 2015. He addressed Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko from the courtroom, renouncing his Ukrainian citizenship and saying he considered himself to be only a Russian national. He also addressed Russian President Vladimir Putin, asking for legal assistance in his release.

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