January 15, 2016

Vira Savchenko calls on Ukraine’s politicians to give all the facts about agreements reached

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Ukraine Crisis Media Center

Vira Savchenko speaks at a press briefing at the Ukrainian Crisis Media Center on December 30, 2015.

KYIV – Imprisoned Ukrainian military pilot Nadiya Savchenko’s sister, Vira, appeared at a press briefing at the Ukraine Crisis Media Center, on December 30, 2015.

She spoke about her sister’s case, noting that her trial is to resume on January 13, and pointing out that Nadiya started her second hunger strike on December 18, 2015, saying she would continue her protest until the end of her trial, at which time she would go on a “dry” hunger strike, refusing both food and water.

Vira Savchenko also recalled that Russian President Vladimir Putin had spoken about prisoners held by both sides in the war and the need to exchange “all for all,” but added that such agreements were not reached at the recent negotiating session in Minsk.

“I herewith call on Ukrainian politicians and on our president to start a tradition – to give press conferences and give us first-hand information on what has been agreed upon… or openly respond to our questions,” Vira Savchenko stated.

She underscored that her sister is a political prisoner, but that she remains active as a Ukrainian national deputy and as a member of the Ukrainian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. She is the author of Ukrainian law No. 3413 that changes the procedure used by courts to calculate the terms of pre-trial detention. According to the law, one day spent in a pre-trial detention center is equal to two days of imprisonment.

“Unfortunately our judicial and law enforcement systems are not much different from the Russian ones. I am saying this from my observations both here and there. …For the moment we have the same practice as in Russia [whereby an innocent person is accused of a crime in order to close a case],” explained Vira Savchenko.

According to Vira Savchenko, her sister is also receiving appeals as a member of Ukraine’s Parliament; the majority of them are regarding corruption in hospitals and abuses by chief doctors. “We already have certain results. We are happy that Nadiya’s voice is heard,” she noted.

Recently an appeal to Nadiya Savchenko came from Kharkiv servicemen, who outlined corruption at military bases, cases when money for uniforms is demanded from servicemen, as well as problems with the granting of ATO veteran status. “We shall pass this information on to the Defense Ministry. We hope they will react accordingly,” Vira Savchenko said.

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