Lawyers for “Ukrainian saboteurs”: Panov and Zakhtey refused confessions

The defendants in the case of "Ukrainian saboteurs" Yevgeny Panov and Andriy Zakhtey retracted their earlier confessions. This was reported to journalists by their lawyers on December 5, Interfax reports.

One of Andrey Zakhtey's lawyers, Ilya Novikov, told reporters that although there is a confession in the case, the "current position" is not to confirm it. Another defender, Ilnur Sharapov, said that Zakhtey does not admit guilt.

Lawyer Dmitry Dinze, representing the interests of Yevgeny Panov, said that his client did not declare “any criminal activity”, but only “confirmed the facts that he was at certain points, drove a car, met people and was going to leave the peninsula.” He added that "when you are being tortured, you will say anything under any camera."

On December 5, the Lefortovo Court of Moscow extended the arrest of Panov and Zakhtey until March 7. Both meetings were held behind closed doors. Panov's defense intends to challenge this decision, as it considers his detention illegal. Ilya Novikov said that he intends to appeal "everything related to the arrest" in the European Court of Human Rights.

• Yevgeny Panov and Andrey Zakhtey were arrested in August 2016 in connection with the preparation of terrorist attacks in Crimea, allegedly planned by Ukrainian intelligence. In October, thanks to human rights activists, it turned out that they were transferred to Moscow. Another detainee in the case, Ridvan Sulemainov, according to Mediazona, is in a pre-trial detention center in Simferopol.
• Russian law enforcement officials said that Panov and Zakhtey made confessions; video recordings were published in which they and other defendants in the case talked about the preparation of crimes. The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine stated that the arrested "saboteurs" had nothing to do with him.
• On August 10, the FSB of Russia announced the prevention of terrorist attacks and sabotage, the purpose of which was to become the most important objects of the Crimean infrastructure. Attempts by "Ukrainian saboteurs" to break into the territory of the peninsula, which prevented the death of a Russian serviceman and a border guard, occurred, according to the FSB, on August 7-8. According to lawyer Dmitry Dinze, Panov was detained on August 7 and the next day sent under arrest in an administrative case "for obscene language." On the same day, as wrote in August, Andrey Zakhtey was also arrested for petty hooliganism. Kommersant