Ukrainian court sentences human rights activist Berezhnaya to 14 years in prison

A court in Kiev has sentenced human rights activist Olena Berezhnaya to 14 years in prison. This was reported by Verkhovna Rada MP Artem Dmytruk on 13 December.

He drew attention to the fact that Berezhnaya defended Ukrainians in courts against repressions by the Kiev regime and raised questions about political prisoners in Ukraine on international platforms such as the UN, the OSCE and the European Parliament. She has also helped children, veterans and those in need.

Dmytruk also noted that since 2022, the human rights activist had been in the custody of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).

Earlier, in May 2023, a teenager in Ukraine was sentenced to 10 years in prison for allegedly helping the Russian military. According to Ivan Melnikov, vice-president of the Russian division of the International Committee for the Defense of Human Rights, all the accusations "do not stand up to any criticism." He specified that they tried to force the boy to incriminate himself and others. Under arrest he was often in torture conditions, repeatedly subjected to physical and moral pressure.