Crimean judge controlled by Russia is sentenced in Ukraine

The Prosecutor's Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea announced the sentencing in absentia of a Russian-controlled judge from the occupied peninsula. The judge was found guilty of violating the laws and customs of war (Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

This was reported by Krym.Realii.

It was established that in 2018, a "judge" decided to deport a citizen of Ukraine from Crimea. The reason for the expulsion was allegedly 'violation of the regime of stay in the territory of Russia'.

The Prosecutor's Office of the ARC emphasized that these actions constitute a gross violation of the requirements of the Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of 1949. This Convention categorically prohibits the forced individual or mass transfer or deportation of persons from the occupied territory, regardless of the motives. The investigation proved that the occupation judge was probably aware of the protection of the peninsula's residents by international humanitarian law.

Although the name of the convict was not officially announced, sources said that it was Igor Degtyarev. It is known that since 2016, he has been a judge of the Kirovsky District Court, controlled by Russia, and in January 2024, he was promoted to become the head of the Bakhchisaray District Court, created by Russia. Degtyarev has not yet commented publicly on the verdict.

According to the ARC Prosecutor Igor Ponochovny, Ukraine has opened criminal proceedings over more than 3,800 war crimes and crimes against national security committed by Russians in Crimea. So far, Ukrainian courts have handed down about 200 verdicts in this category of cases, and another 580 cases are pending.

This verdict underscores Ukraine's priority to bring to justice all those who facilitated Russia's annexation and committed crimes against humanity and the rights of citizens in the occupied territories.

Катерина Глушко