Translated by Ollie Richardson & Angelina Siard
16:34:02
13/09/2016
Comitet.su
For more than seventy days, 68-year-old Kharkov Communist Alla Aleksandrovskaya, despite the absence of evidence of her guilt and her critical state of health caused by her age and jail conditions, is in prison №27 of Kharkov.
As it became known to the website “Antifashist”, Kharkov USBU investigators and prosecutors are exerting strong psychological pressure on her, which, given her physical condition, can lead to a fatal outcome. Conducted medical examination that the defense sought from the investigation for more than a month, confirmed the worst fears that at the moment Alla Alexandrovskaya has pre-stroke conditions, which is reflected in the periodic loss of orientation and impaired speech. This is confirmed by the doctor who examined Alla Alexandrovskaya during the last court session on September 9th.
However, despite all of the aforementioned details, the judge of the Kiev district court of Kharkov Valentina Bozhko, who repeatedly ignored the lawyers of Alla Aleksandrovskaya’s motions, groundlessly prolonged her arrest until 28th October 2016.
“I would also like to acknowledge the role of Kharkov blogger Andrey Borodavka in the Alla Aleksandrovskaya case. During the hearing of the appeal, in violation of all procedural norms, the SBU drew him as a secret witness in the case, although he was never in contact with her. Nevertheless, at the behest of the Kharkov SBU, he gave a testimony against her. By the way, for unknown reasons, in his accusations he remains silent about the fact that he collaborated with one of the mentioned Deputies of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, and conducted in April-May 2015 protests in Kharkov, for which he received a reward. Incidentally, these Kharkiv activists who believed Andrey Borodavka, and the fact that they were guaranteed security and financial reward, which he, by the way, never gave, were arrested,” commented the son of the political prisoner – Alexander Aleksandrovsky – on the situation.
Not losing hope for justice, he asked about possible assistance and support for the famous Ukrainian women politicians, who worked together with Alla Aleksandrovskaya in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine during several convocations.
“I hope that their support will help Alla Aleksandrovskaya to survive during this challenging-for-everyone time. Together we will obtain justice!” explained Alexander Aleksandrovsky.
We published his open letter without edits or changes.
Open letter of Aleksandrovsky Alexander Sergeyevich to People’s Deputies of Ukraine of the V-VII convocations:
Berezhnaya Irina Grigorievna
Bondarenko Elena Anatolievna
Lukash Elena Leonidovna
Dear Irina Grigorievna, Elena Anatolievna, Elena Leonidovna!
I know you as authoritative women politicians, skilled professionals for whom the notion of “civil society”, “human rights”, “justice” is not an empty sound. You had to be in opposition to the current regime many times, going against the tide, to defend your rightness, despite the circulars from the top. You’ve always had your own opinion about the current processes, instead of orientating to public opinion, which is easily manipulated by any power.
More than seventy days since the arrest of my mother Alla Aleksandrovskaya, Deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of four convocations, and honorary citizen of the city of Kharkov. In its attempt to suppress dissenting views and demonstratively punish those undesirables, the current Ukrainian regime not only disregards the legal and moral norms, it is already close to abolishing these rules as such. All sensible people clearly understood from the beginning the artificially-made character of “Aleksandrovskaya’s case”. You were her colleagues in the Parliament and, probably, remember her principles. You know very well that the name “Aleksandrovskaya” is also incompatible with any encroachments on the constitutional order or any corrupt activities. However, it is especially these allegations that are being sewn with white thread to “Aleksandrovskaya’s case”.
Neither the authorities nor punitive bodies are stopped by the fact that Alla Aleksandrovskaya is an aged woman and needs some medical attention for a number of serious diseases (especially cardiovascular). They did not only soften her measure of restraint, but for a long time they do not provide the necessary medical care.
The information about how “Aleksandrovskaya’s case” was fabricated in retaliation for her active position on decentralization, granting the Kharkov region status of the region of development, have been detailed in a number of objective media sources.
Experts in law in the ECHR found in the decisions of the court in the first instance and in an appeal many violations of European standards.
Some of you had to deal with such a fabrication of criminal cases against you and your family. However, in the current situation, when justice in Ukraine not only suffers from profanity and double standards, but openly becomes a mockery of the people and abuse of the law, it becomes as hard as ever to expect the triumph of justice. This justice is impossible without the consolidated support of influential people, guided by common sense, moral and legal norms.
I appeal to you to support Alla Alexandrovskaya, to the extent possible, with public speeches, visits to jail, visits to court hearings, and appeals to international bodies.
Thanks in advance for any assistance.
Aleksander Aleksandrovsky, 12th Sep 2016.
The letter below is an additional address by Alla Aleksandrovskaya’s son to the international community and human rights organisations concerning the Ukrainian regime’s systematic abuse of human rights. It provides further details about Alla Aleksandrovskaya’s unlawful arrest and deterioration in wellbeing.
Information note on the current situation and state of health of Aleksandrovskaya Alla Alexandrovna…
Aleksandrovskaya Alla Aleksandrovna 07.12.1948 year of birth, citizen of Ukraine, People’s Deputy of Ukraine of four convocations, honorary citizen of Kharkov, was arrested after the search at her apartment on 28.06.2016, on suspicion of infringement of the territorial integrity of Ukraine, article 110 of the criminal code of Ukraine and article 269 of the criminal code of Ukraine – bribing an official person. On 31.06.2016, the Kiev’s regional court of Kharkov, ignoring all the arguments and petitions of lawyers, as well as the serious health condition of Alla Aleksandrovskaya, ordered the her arrest for 60 days and detention in the Kharkov investigation isolation facility № 27.
At the moment Alla is in a common cell No. 408 Kharkov prison No. 27. Taking into account her age of 67 years, Alla has a number of diseases such as ischemic heart disease, diffuse cardiosclerosis, essential hypertension of the second degree (200х120 pressure), cardiac insufficiency, varicose veins of the lower extremities, thrombophlebitis, and a peptic duodenal ulcer. There is a medical diagnosis about this, on the basis of which lawyers filed a petition to change the conditions of her detention, the court granted the motion in part, requiring her to have another medical examination, which confirmed the previous one. Given the numerous violations, lawyers working in the interests of Aleksandrovskaya A. A, on the question of adequate medical care (diagnosis and treatment) or release from custody, submitted a demand with the European Court of Human rights, and in connection with the application, the court opened proceedings under Rule 39 of the rules of Court.
In the course of litigation, the court, based on the principle of presumption of innocence, partially satisfied the petition of lawyers, and prohibited SBU officials and the Prosecutor’s office from distributing information in mass media about the guilt of Aleksandrovskaya’s responsibility for the crimes she is accused of committing.
In the course of consideration of the appeal of lawyers on the decision of the Kiev district court of Kharkov, the prosecution did not provide evidence of Aleksandrovskaya’s guilt, and in connection with this, the court was forced to declare a break of 7 days for the submission of evidence. But upon the expiration of this period, evidence from the prosecution was not provided. The court, under pressure from the SBU, was forced to commit a number of gross procedural violations, also completely ignoring the defence, left the decision of Kiev district court without changes.
On 02.08.2016 the health of Aleksandrovskaya had not improved, there is no possibility to provide qualified medical assistance to her in the conditions of prison No. 27, Aleksandrovskaya complains of weakness, dizziness, heaviness in the chest, in connection with which she periodically refuses daily walks, doctors are called only 4-5 hours afterwards, they measure her blood pressure and temperature, do not tell her the results, and merely propose her to lie down and take the medicine.
An investigation is not carried out, the prosecution, not having witnesses and sufficient evidence, are deliberately delaying the process of investigation.
On 12.09.2016 the health of Alla Aleksandrovskaya sharply deteriorated; the mitigation promised by lawyers and investigators, such as the removal of article 110 and transfer of Alla Aleksandrovskaya to house arrest, did not happen. At the current juncture, the court hearing held on 09.09.2016, extended the arrest of Alla Aleksandrovskaya to 28.10.2016. The doctor who examined Alla Aleksandrovskaya, during a break in court proceedings, stated a sharp deterioration in her health – namely weakness, low blood pressure, impaired coordination, slurred speech, and all of this are signs of pre-stroke conditions. The investigation put strong psychological pressure on Alla Aleksandrovskaya. Three days before the trial she was interrogated several times without a lawyer, focusing her attention on the fact that she was abandoned by everyone, and she will die in prison without proper medical care. Twice in violation of the jail regime, she was got up in the night after lights out allegedly for the delivery of the decision on the prolongation of her arrest, and all this could not affect her moral and physical health. During the hearing on the prolongation of the measure of restraint, no evidence was provided by the prosecution. The investigating judge of the Kiev district court Valentina Bozhko ignored all the arguments of lawyers, and extended detention.
Given all of the above, I beg you to convey to the international community and relevant international bodies the facts of human rights violations in Ukraine.
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