• Topics / The right to a fair trial
• Topics / Freedom of peaceful assembly
Freed Tax Code protester to appeal against police actions
Serhiy Kostakov who spent more than seven months remanded in custody before being finally released earlier in July on a signed undertaking not to abscond plans to lodge a complaint over the actions of the police.
Mr Kostakov was arrested at the beginning of December 2010 and accused of blocking the road and damaging a car during the peaceful protest against the Tax Code in late November 2010. He asserts that on the contrary, he called on the protesters not to touch the cars. His words are confirmed by the police recording. He says that it is clear from the video that others were hitting the car.
“I understand that that was a criminal matter and called out “Stop, what are you doing?” There’s firstly no point, and secondly, it’s criminal behaviour. They listened, though not immediately. Probably for that reason the police officers decided that I had some authority, that perhaps I’m leading them. Nonetheless during the attack I was several steps away from the car”.