Yulia Susslyak, accused of trafficking, is preparing a lawsuit against Georgia
By Inga Kakulia
Tuesday, August 27
Yulia Suslyak, accused of trafficking and detained in April of this year, is planning to file a lawsuit against Georgia. The lawyer of the detainee, Zurab Todua explains that Sussliak's arrest violated two articles of the European Convention. He is planning to address the European Court of Human Rights in about a month.
“Complaint against Georgia is currently being prepared and will be presented at the European Court of Human Rights. We are dealing with a violation of Article 5 (3) and Article 6 (1) of the European Convention on Human Rights. This means illegal detention and a violation of the right to a fair trial. Along with the Georgian state, the defendant must also be the Ukrainian state. I am currently at this stage of working on the case and in about a month the complaint will be in proper form and will be sent to the European Court," said Todua.
According to Todua, Ukrainian prosecutor’s office has been investigating the case for about a month now but no interrogation has taken place yet.
Sussliak herself is currently in Khmelninsk, with her children and is undergoing a psychological rehabilitation course. Sussliak’s lawyer states that she has some mental problems, which have been confirmed by psychiatric examinations.
“Our "guilty" prosecutors have found a common language with Ukrainian law enforcement and this case is in search. However, it has a formal and symbolic character. To avoid this responsibility, Georgian prosecutors flew there and found common ground with their Ukrainian counterparts. The defendant of our complaint with Georgia may also be the Ukrainian side as they have been illegally involved in the case. Besides, it is ridiculous that such a heinous accusation is being sought in Ukraine and she (Sussliak) is free, has not even been questioned," said Todua.
Yulia Suslyak was detained in a hospital in Kutaisi on April 25 of the current year. She is accused of attempting human trafficking. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Suslyak arrived in Russia along with 10 young children on April 8, 2019, and intended to move into the occupied territories of Abkhazia. According to the documents, 10 children are children of Yulia Susslyak and bear her name, but 4 of the children were born in 2017, which led to suspicions about trafficking.
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Suslyak moved from Ukraine to Russia with 11 children and brought 10 children to Georgia. The investigation is underway for trafficking of two or more juveniles. The offense envisages from 14 to 17 years of imprisonment
