CrimeaSOS: ECtHR accepted the appeal on the illegal detention of Iryna Danylovych

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) accepted the appeal regarding the illegal detention of citizen journalist Iryna Danylovych in the occupied Crimea.

“Detention without drawing up a protocol or any registration of this fact, keeping out of touch with the outside world, without access to a lawyer, in the basement of the local FSB office, torture. All this is a violation of fundamental human rights. At the same time, the russian security forces tried to deny the fact of the violation, claiming that Iryna was there voluntarily, of her own free will”, —lawyer Serhii Zaiets said.

In January 2023, CrimeaSOS lawyers prepared and submitted an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights. It concerns the illegal detention of the citizen journalist Iryna Danylovych, which violates a number of rights enshrined in the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and its protocols. In particular, Article 5 of the Convention provides that everyone has the right to liberty and security of person.

“The fact that russia was expelled from the Council of Europe does not mean that we should sit on our hands. The struggle is important for those suffering from russian repression. Despite the fact that this appeal will not affect Iryna’s situation now, the fight is important to increase international pressure, and sooner or later russia will be forced to respond to it”, —the lawyer added.

The so-called “Supreme Court” of Crimea scheduled June 15 to hear the appeal of illegally convicted citizen journalist Iryna Danylovych against the decision of the occupation “Feodosia City Court”.

On April 29, 2022, Iryna Danylovych was abducted by russian security forces on the road from Koktebel to Feodosia. The relatives did not know about the fate and whereabouts of Iryna for 12 days. The detention of Iryna Danylovych has all the elements of enforced disappearance.

As a result of the terrible conditions of detention, Iryna Danylovych, who was sentenced by a russian court to seven years in prison, lost hearing in her left ear.