Ombudsman defends the rights of residents of Volgograd Region arrested in Greece

Mikhail Tarantsov, Ombudsman for the Volgograd Region, is concerned with the fate of two residents of the town of Kamyshin, Volgograd Region, who serve their terms in one of the prisons of the Greek Republic. A certain Irina Sh. has asked the Ombudsman to render possible legal support to one of the detainees - Igor K.

"According to the applicant, in June 2006, Igor together with his friend Mikhail went to Turkey "on invitation of their Ukrainian friends to work as yacht sailors during tourist voyages," Mikhail Tarantsov explained the matter to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. "However, having found themselves, for so far unclear reasons in the neighbouring Greece, both young men were arrested together with the captain of the yacht (a citizen of Ukraine) by local law enforcement bodies on charges of transportation of persons illegally crossing the border."

Under the decision of the Greek Court, both resident of Kamyshin were sentenced to 12 years of imprisonment each.

According to the Ombudsman, the imprisoned Kamyshin residents have, according to the Greek legislation, a chance of revision of their case with a possible mitigation of their punishment. In this connection, Mr Tarantsov has addressed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, and the Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Russia to the Greek Republic with a proposal to take possible measures for rendering diplomatic and legal support to the Russian citizens, since he is absolutely convinced that wherever our compatriots may find themselves in some complicated vital situation, they should receive help of their Homeland.