Journalist sentenced to 15 years
A court established by Russia-backed “separatists” who hold parts of eastern Ukraine has sentenced journalist Stanislav Aseyev, an RFE/RL contributor, to 15 years in a penal colony. The separatist news outlet DAN reported on October 22 that the court had found Mr. Aseyev guilty of espionage, extremism and public calls to violate the territory’s integrity. Mr. Aseyev, who wrote under the pen name Stanislav Vasin, disappeared in Ukraine’s Donetsk region on June 2, 2017, and has been held in detention since by the separatists. “The conviction against Stanislav Aseyev, which dates from August but was made public only today, is reprehensible,” said RFE/RL President Jamie Fly. “Stas is a journalist and was only trying to raise awareness about the situation in eastern Ukraine.