You're reading: Ukraine asks Russia to observe Ukrainian fisherman’s rights

Ukraine's human rights commissioner, Valeria Lutkovska, has asked her Russian counterpart Vladimir Lukin to make sure that the rights of Ukrainian fisherman Oleksandr Fedorovych, who survived a collision with a Russia patrol boat, be observed and that he be allowed to return home shortly. 

Lutkovska also urged Lukin to “facilitate a proper inquiry into the death of the four other Ukrainian nationals and find out who is responsible for their deaths, according to the Ukrainian human rights commissioner’s press service.

A Ukrainian boat collided with a Russian coast guard boat off the coast of the village of Vorontsovka at approximately 6 p.m. on July 17. The fishing boat capsized and four Ukrainian citizens died in the shipwreck. One was rescued. The rescued Ukrainian fisherman, Fedorovych, had surgery on July 19.

The Russian guards allegedly fired shots at the sailors.

Ukraine’s Justice Minister Olena Lukash said that the incident between Ukrainian fishermen and Russian border guards took place outside Russian territorial waters, therefore the Ukrainian survivor cannot be prosecuted. Lukash said in a letter to her Russian counterpart Alexander Konovalov that Russia’s border control in the Sea of Azov covers an area within two nautical miles from the coast (about 4 kilometers). The Ukrainian fishing vessel was discovered outside this zone, therefore there is no reason to prosecute the Ukrainian citizen in Russia.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry insists on Fedorovych’s return as well.