28 February, 2015 – OTTAWA – The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) calls upon Canadians to
demonstrate their support for Lt. Nadiya Savchenko, Ukrainian air force pilot, Member of Parliament
and PACE delegate who has been illegally imprisoned by the Russian Federation since June, 2014. On
March 1, 2015 a global action day in support of Nadiya Savchenko is being held. The UCC calls on the
Russian Federation to immediately release Savchenko.
Savchenko is in the 78th day of a hunger strike to protest her illegal detention. Her health has
deteriorated significantly. Earlier this week, Savchenko wrote,
“I am inexpressibly grateful for all your support, and your avid struggle on my behalf! In
my wildest dreams I couldn’t have imagined such help. I am also fighting! I am not
giving up and will not be broken! This is because I am fighting not only for myself, but
against a system which maims and kills only those who fear it and is impotent against
those who are fearless. I am not afraid! There are many of us here, Ukrainians in
Russian prisons. It’s necessary to get the first out, after that it’s easier to fight for each
of them! Ukrainians have already given the world an example through the Revolution of
Dignity of how to fight a glutted criminal regime. Now I and all of Ukraine are forced to
fight our neighbour’s iniquitous regime. Wish me and Ukraine success in this unequal
battle, through your support in the global action on March 1, 2015!”
“The Putin regime has, by its continued detention of Nadiya Savchenko and other Ukrainian prisoners,
once again demonstrated its contempt for international law and disregard for human rights,” stated
Paul Grod, National President of the UCC. “Russia continues to wage war against Ukraine and illegally
imprison Ukrainian citizens. The international community must hold Russia to account for these illegal
actions.”
#FreeSavchenko
