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OSCE condemns 'trial' against OSCE SMM members in Luhansk, calls for their immediate release from custody
KYIV. Sept 20 (Interfax-Ukraine) – OSCE Chairman-in-Office Zbigniew Rau and OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid unequivocally condemn the sentencing of OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) members Maksym Petrov and Dmytro Shabanov to 13 years in prison and call for the immediate release of all three OSCE mission members in detention.
"Our colleagues remain OSCE staff members and had been performing official duties as mandated by all 57 participating States," Schmid said. "I call for their immediate and unconditional release, along with our other colleague who is also being detained."
"Our Mission members have been held unjustifiably for more than five months in unknown conditions for nothing but pure political theatre. It is inhumane and repugnant," Chairman Rau said.
It is noted that the OSCE remains in close contact with relevant stakeholders, including other international organizations, to facilitate the release of detained SMM staff.
