Crimean director was detained by the FSB

The Russian special services detained the Ukrainian director Oleg Sentsov in the Crimea. He is charged with the organization of the attack

In Crimea on May 11, FSB officers detained the film director and activist of Avtomaydan Oleg Sentsov.

According to lawyer Dmitry Dinze , Sentsov is now being transported to Moscow, to the investigative insulator Lefortovo.

- Relatives and acquaintances of Oleg turned to me, asked me to protect him. I called the investigator of the central apparatus of the FSB, which was in the Crimea. I warned him that I would have to fly to the Crimea on Friday, meet with Oleg, and asked him to provide me with the materials of the criminal case. The investigator explained to me: "You can not go anywhere, because Oleg is being prepared for the stage in Moscow, he will sit in Lefortovo." They gave me a phone, on which I will have to contact the investigator in the morning on Monday and meet my client. There, accordingly, the investigator will give me a pass to Oleg and provide the materials that I can familiarize myself with the law.

- The investigator told you what Sentsov is accused of?

- They suspect the storage of weapons either either the organization or participation in the preparation of a terrorist act, or already in a perfect terrorist act, this is not yet clear to me. Because specifically, the investigator refused to answer questions on the plot, said: "You will come to me, then you will find out."

- Is it possible in this case to talk about politically motivated persecution?

-If our law enforcement agencies in any way are now trying to repress activists from Ukraine in the Crimea, then I think that, of course, there is an unambiguous political component. As far as I know, Oleg was an activist of Avtomaydan, then participated in various other promotions, and I do not exclude the political component of this case.

The first picture of Oleg Sentsov "Gamer" was on the prestigious Rotterdam film festival and was highly appreciated by specialists. Events in Ukraine interrupted preparations for the film "Rhino". Evgenia Vradiy worked as the second director on the "Gamer" and was preparing for the filming of the "rhino".

- He was a civil activist for a single Ukraine, he himself was Crimean, born, grew up and planned to work and live on in Crimea, make films. He is open, interesting, everyone knows him and support him now, including Russian cinema, and those who know him.

Oleg Sentsov has two children whom he educates one. Daughters

12 years old, son - 9, and the boy has an autism diagnosis. Fortunately, he was with his grandmother at the time of the detention of Oleg. And the daughter of Alina was at home when employees of the Russian special services came to her father at 11 pm.

Evgenia Vradiy says that children are very attached to the father. Now they are with their grandmother, Oleg’s sister takes care of them.

The detention of Oleg Sentsov also shocked the cinema community. The editorial director of the magazine "Session" Konstantin Shavlovsky recalls that the profession of a filmmaker involves the artist’s presence in the thick of events.

Russia annexed the territory of a foreign country, and the zealous employees of the FSB undertook to explain to the Ukrainian director from Simferopol that they now need to live according to Russian rules

- The entire cinematic, professional community, knows Oleg Sentsov as an unconditionally bright and talented young director. All over the world, filmmakers, they are always in the thick of events, with a camera on the front line, this is their professional duty. I was not familiar with Oleg personally, I know that he was an activist of Avtomaydan. But there is a presumption of innocence, and a person is innocent by definition, the opposite has not yet been proven. Secondly, we all know very well how our security officials act, especially in the difficult situation that exists in Ukraine. Of course, with that Oleg Sentsov, whom we all know, these accusations do not fit in any way. I would really not like the director Oleg Sentsov, a professional filmmaker, become some kind of tick in the report on non-existent terrorists caught by valiant security forces.

Russian film critic Boris is absurdly familiar with Oleg Sentsov:

- With the film "Gamer" Oleg Sentsov traveled around the whole world. The world premiere took place at my favorite festival in Rotterdam, and then other shows began to be invited along the chain; I remember how we walked along Wiesbaden after the show and talked about the new articles in the journal "Session", which Oleg reads from crusting to crust. Behind him were not influential producers or acquaintances from the festival environment, just a talented person decided to make a movie and went to the goal, not paying attention to any obstacles. "Gamer" is an example of that very independent, needlework cinema, which we really did not appear. The Gamer is not about addiction or computer games, but rather inherits the traditions of sports dramas that talk about human calling, the loneliness of the winner, his doubt about his own strengths and the chosen business. He won several pitching with the new Pitching project, but the bad luck, Russia, Russia annexed the territory of a foreign country, and the fabric officers of the FSB undertook to explain to the Ukrainian director from Simferopol that they now need to live according to Russian rules. The accusations that are made to him are ridiculous, but everything seems to be seriously and therefore very scary. We all need to support Oleg now.

The detention of Oleg Sentsov was also responded to the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine. And they expressed indignation at the accusations that the Russian FSB Sentsov is charged with, emphasizing that they are "absurd and devoid of any common sense." The Ukrainian Foreign Policy Department demanded from the Russian authorities the immediate liberation of Sentsov and "the termination of a gross violation of the rights and freedoms of citizens of Ukraine in Crimea."