Translated by Ollie Richardson & Angelina Siard

21:09:34
17/06/2017

nahnews.org

Recently the lawyer Valentin Rybin was attacked by radicals directly at the building of the Ilyichevsk city court, where the so-called “case of May 2nd“ is being considered. At this trial Rybin defends the Russian Evgeny Mefedov.

But on June 1st the lawyer had to be protected from provokers the most via the use of a taser. And in the video it is audible how one of the attackers threatens Rybin: “Tomorrow be ready, you will receive a knife in your side”.

The following court session, on June 12th, took place without a problem. Probably, after the court prolonged the detention of the accused for two months, the need for radicals to stage a provocation disappeared.

Valentin Rybin shared with the editors of the publication “Nahnews” details about the incident that happened in the city of Chornomorsk (former Ilyichevsk) on June 1st.

Under the supervision of the provocateur Sternenko

“We see a tendency where it becomes more difficult to carry out protection in resonant cases, and it is physically dangerous. A clear confirmation is what happened near Ilyichevsk court. This provocation was unambiguously prepared beforehand. About 20-25 representatives of Automaidan and ‘Right Sector’ arrived. They first went to the hall of the court sessions. According to the court’s decision, five defendants were in the hall, because it is difficult for such a number of people to be in this glass ‘cage’. Thus, our clients were provided their rights. But the radicals took this as an easing of punitive functions concerning the five participants of this process,” said Rybin.

The “activists” started to be outraged. As a result the court took the decision that in the hall there will only be direct participants of the process. Strangers had to leave the courtroom. “Activists” shouted out insults, threw eggs into windows. The court declared a break.

It is remarkable that among the provocateurs there was also the odious former “Right Sector” member Sergey Sternenko, who soon “caused a stir”, trying to disrupt the Odessa concert of Irina Bilyk.

“Sternenko’s attention was drawn to my person. He was surprised, having learned who I am. Probably, he collected information on Facebook. Sternenko immediately communicated with his friends, and they decided to direct their ‘just’ anger on me. After the end of the meeting, when I and my father left the courthouse, an assault was committed. At first we were surrounded. They tried to provoke according to the scheme ‘question-answer’. This situation is familiar to me. And I decided not to bring it to a logical (from their perspective) end, when they do everything they want. They after all weren’t stopped even by the age of my father … I believe that it was a provocation with one purpose — to show their domination. In turn, I showed them that lawyers also are able to defend themselves,” continues Valentin Rybin.

“And when the proposed measures weren’t sufficient…”

In the evening on June 1st, after the incident happened, the Ilyichevsk city court made a ruling on the providing of security measures concerning the lawyers who take part in this process. This ruling was sent for implementation to the department of the National Guard in the Odessa region and to the department of the National Police in the Odessa region. However for June 12th any measure of security concerning the lawyers wasn’t taken. In opinion the Rybin, it testifies to the fact that the power doesn’t intend to carry out the ruling of the court in providing security measures.

The lawyer notes that, having analysed the event: it is necessary to be ready for any turn of events.

“Both me and my father had a taser. Respectively, we defended ourselves from the attackers. I warned that next time it will be not a taser. I understand perfectly my mistake: I let these guys come too close. Next time I will act as the instructions say. Simply I won’t let them get closer than a certain distance. And representatives of law enforcement bodies also warned provocateurs, considering the fact that for the next court session I came armed with an absolutely other means of security,” ended the lawyer.

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