A builder from Kherson became a prison guard under the occupiers

A resident of Kherson went to work in an occupation colony and was sentenced to 12 years for collaboration. The court did not believe his arguments about material difficulties and recognized work in the law enforcement agency of the aggressor state as a crime.

This was reported by the Court Reporter.

Before Russia's full-scale invasion, the man worked at a construction site. In June 2022, during the occupation, he took a position as a junior inspector in the Northern Correctional Colony No. 90, which was subordinated to the Russian administration.

At the trial, the defendant explained that he had taken a job in the colony due to financial difficulties to support his family and his sick mother. He claimed that during the occupation he had no other employment opportunities and no savings. According to him, he found out about the vacancy by chance at the market and applied for it himself. His duties included supervising prisoners. In total, he worked for about four and a half months, receiving a salary in Russian rubles.

The defendant stated that he was not aware of the illegality of the institution and believed that he was working under the direction of the Ukrainian authorities, as local employees in Ukrainian uniforms remained at work. He had no ideological motives and acted only out of material need. It was possible to leave the occupied city, but he did not do so due to lack of money.

During the search at the man's place of residence, the colony employee's uniform was seized. In the colony's premises they found documents confirming his employment, in particular, his participation in the morning check of the convicts. Three employees of the colony testified: they said that there was a Russian flag on the territory of the institution, the name of the colony was in Russian, and the accused wore a green uniform of the Ukrainian model and had a rubber stick and a spray can.

The court also did not support the defense counsel's arguments that the man allegedly provided proper conditions for the detention of Ukrainian prisoners under the Geneva Convention, as the accused himself stated that he had taken a job to earn money.

Previously, he worked as a construction worker, and after the occupation, he changed his field of activity and got a job in the bodies of the aggressor state. The court found the defendant's explanations about his alleged ignorance of his place of work unconvincing. His own testimony also confirmed his awareness: he received a certificate in Russian, a salary in rubles, saw a Russian flag at the entrance and the presence of the Russian military.

The man was sentenced to 12 years in prison with confiscation of all property and a ban on holding positions in law enforcement for the same period.

A former junior inspector in the Northern Correctional Colony No. 90, created by the occupation authorities, was also sentenced to 12 years in prison. Witnesses reported that he bragged about his service, showed his ID with the Russian coat of arms and told his friends about his working conditions.

Анна Бальчінос