Poroshenko pardons Odesa separatist Didenko handed over to Russia

Tuesday, June 14, 2016 - 20:30 (EEST) Section: Latest news

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has pardoned a Ukrainian citizen Vitaliy Didenko, according to Presidential Decree No.251/2016.
”Having reviewed the petition for clemency of V.I. Didenko, the proposals of Pardons Commission, and other circumstances, in accordance with paragraph 27 of Article 106 of the Constitution of Ukraine, I decree to pardon: Didenko Vitaliy Ihorovych, born 1988, who was convicted by a verdict of Suvorovskiy district court in Odesa on September 7, 2015; to release [him] from further serving of principal sentence,” the document says.
It is noted that the decree comes into force from the date of its signing.
As UNIAN reported earlier, two Ukrainian citizens – Yuriy Soloshenko and Hennadiy Afanasyev, who had been illegally convicted in Russia, were exchanged for two journalists from Odesa – Olena Glishchinskaya and Vitaliy Didenko, both detained last year on suspicion of separatism.
According to media reports, Didenko was a chief editor of the Info Center website, belonging to the separatist, Anton Davidchenko. During the arrest, Didenko tried to escape from the SBU by jumping from the third floor, thus suffering several fractures. He was sentenced to three years of imprisonment.
Director of Novaya Volna TV company Olena Glishchinskaya (Romanova) was arrested by the Security Service in April 2015. She gave birth to a boy while in prison, 1.5 months ago. She also has two other children, who are minors.