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Russian journalist’s defense views swap as political, counts on court decision

The next hearing is scheduled for July 19

Kirill Vyshinsky Anna Marchenko/TASS

Kirill Vyshinsky

© Anna Marchenko/TASS

KIEV, July 19. /TASS/. The defense of RIA Novosti Ukraine Editor-in-Chief Kirill Vyshinsky is counting on a fair decision of the court in his case, particularly in the consideration of the appeal to cancel his arrest, and not on the swap release, lawyer of the journalist Andrey Domansky told TASS on Friday.

"I am not taking political statements (about the swap - TASS) into account. I go by the laws," the lawyer underlined, adding that "court is independent from the executive and other powers."

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Ukraine ready to exchange Vyshinsky for Sentsov, president says

Domansky said he expected the court to consider his appeal to change Vyshinsky’s custody decision on Friday. "I will file the appeal with references to corresponding laws and expect to receive a lawful decision," he pointed out.

On Thursday, Ukrainian president’s press secretary Yulia Mendel announced that the office of the Ukrainian leader had proposed releasing Oleg Sentsov, convicted for terrorism in Crimea, and RIA Novosti Ukraine Editor-in-Chief Kirill Vyshinsky, who remains in custody in Ukraine, at the same time. On Friday, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky himself announced that such a swap can happen.

In 2015, Oleg Sentsov was found guilty of terrorism in Russia. The North Caucasus District Military Court sentenced him to 20 years behind bars on charges of setting up a terrorist cell in Crimea and plotting terror attacks in Crimea. In the spring of 2014, the group’s members carried out two terror attacks in Simferopol: they set on fire the offices of Crimea’s Russian Community non-governmental organization and a regional office of the United Russia party.

The Ukrainian Security Service detained RIA Novosti Ukraine Editor-in-Chief Vyshinsky on May 15, 2018, he was charged with treason and gun trafficking. The Kherson City Court arrested him for 2 months on May 17, and later the arrest was extended several times. If convicted, he faces a jail term of up to 15 years. The next hearing is scheduled for July 19, his custody expires on July 22. Judges need to make a decision before this date, otherwise the journalist will be freed.

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