Russia holds trials of Azov soldiers behind closed doors - spokeswoman for Association of Defenders’ Families

Marianna Homeriki, a spokeswoman for the Association of Families of Azovstal Defenders, shared the information with Espreso TV.

"We do not know whether they have any legal representation. Neither their families nor the unit's management have been notified about this ‘trial,’ which is being conducted behind closed doors. This is the first ‘trial’ they decided to make public in some ways. Before that, there were several cases - they were closed, it was not even clear who was being tried, what they were charged with, for what terms, and so on. There is no defense or lawyers. There are also no representatives of international organizations in sight, we are 99% sure they are not there. This is also a violation - these people are prisoners of war. This ‘court’ situation is very scary and unpleasant," she said.

Homeriki added that there is no communication with the people on trial. 

"Their families did not even know about this 'court' taking place and just saw photos on the Internet. There is no correspondence, no phone calls, nothing," the spokeswoman summarized.

Information regarding the capture of Azovstal soldiers

• Mariupol was surrounded on March 2, 2022, when Russian troops approached it from the south and began advancing along the Azov coast. Russia captured the city on May 20, 2022, after a long and difficult defense of the city.

• On May 16, 2022, military personnel were evacuated from Azovstal in Mariupol to the temporarily occupied Novoazovsk and Olenivka.

• On July 29, Russian troops shelled the prison in Olenivka, where Ukrainian POWs were held, with artillery. On August 2, American experts confirmed that Russian soldiers had blown up Ukrainian prisoners of war in Olenivka.

• On August 19, 2022, Ukrainian intelligence reported that on Ukraine's Independence Day in Mariupol, Russia planned to hold a demonstrative "trial" of captured Azov soldiers and accuse Ukraine of it. However, the trial was postponed indefinitely.

• On May 16, families of Azovstal defenders called for the return of more than 1,900 soldiers, including more than 700 Azov regiment soldiers, from captivity.

• On June 14, Russia held a show trial in Rostov-on-Don for 22 Azov soldiers who defended Mariupol and Azovstal. They can be imprisoned for 15 years or lifelong if the court finds them "guilty".