MOSCOW – Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov’s appeal of his 20-year prison sentence will go before the Russian Supreme Court on November 24.

Sentsov, who publicly opposed the March 2014 annexation of his native Crimea by The Russian Federation, was arrested in his Simferopol home only two months after the annexation on charges of terrorist activities.  These charges were based on the testimonies of two witnesses who each claim to have been tortured by the Russian military police overseeing the trial.

These allegations, along with Sentsov’s alleged torture during 14 months of pretrial confinement were denied investigation by the military court.  It is unknown whether the Supreme Court will address these claims in hearing the appeal.

Oleg Sentsov discusses his situation with his lawyer. The Ukrianian filmmaker who calls Crimea his home is best known for his 2013 film Gámer which follows a rural Ukrainian teenager as he comes to play video games competitively (NPR.)

Sentsov himself said in court, “I repeat that I consider this case to be political and falsified.”  This notion has been shared by numerous international and nongovernmental organizations.

The US, EU, and Ukraine have condemned Russia’s imprisonment of Sentsov.  Many human rights organizations, including the Voice Project, have taken up advocacy for the artist and the fabricated trial brought against him.

When asked if he understood his sentence, Sentsov and his alleged co-conspirator stood and sang the Ukrainian National Anthem from their cell (audio at 1:29.)

In extracts from correspondence by Sentsov from his prison cell, he thanks those who have written letters of support, saying, “in Rostov and generally in Russia, there are people who are doing something to fight for truth.”

Support for Sentsov has been multifaceted within Ukraine.  An English- and Ukrainian-language documentary also in production by two of the country’s filmmakers, and the Automaidan movement with which he has been an activist has also advocated for his release.

Additionally, Sentsov’s sister Natalya Kaplan has said that the hearing of a countersuit on his behalf was postponed from November 2 to December 1.  The countersuit is to be brought against the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB, the KGB’s successor) and state-controlled mass media for defamation of the artist’s character.

The Voice Project will update with results of the November 24 Supreme Court hearing when they are made public, and continues to campaign for his unconditional release.