Crimeans collect aid for captured ukrainian sailors
Over the last 24 hours, Crimeans and people from mainland Ukraine have heeded a plea for help from Crimean Tatar civic leader Nariman Dzhelyal and brought money, food and clothing for the 24 Ukrainian sailors whom Russia took prisoner after its unprovoked attack on three Ukrainian Navy boats on Nov 25.
By late Wednesday afternoon, Dzhelyal reported that they had already collected UAH 60,000 (RUB 140,000), the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group wrote. The money, together with a formidable amount of food, clothing, toiletries and other items, will be passed to the men in the Simferopol SIZO [remand prison].
As is always the case at the ‘court hearings’ in cases involving Crimean Tatar and other political prisoners, this time, a large number of Crimeans also came to the Russian-controlled ‘court’ to show their support. Archbishop Kliment is seeking permission to visit the men though, with Russia’s antagonistic attitude to the Orthodox Church under the Kyiv Patriarchate, it is not clear whether this will be granted.
Three of the men were badly wounded, when Russian FSB coast guards opened fire without provocation on Nov 25, and remain in a Kerch hospital. The ‘court hearing’ remanding them in custody appears to have been held without them, and with all three men having been deprived access to a lawyer.
Early we have written that three wounded Ukrainian sailors remanded in Kerch, 12 in Simferopol.
Source: UNIAN