MOSCOW, March 21 (RAPSI) – There is a precedent in Ukraine when a court is considering an appeal not against detention but against arrest, Russia’s Human Rights Commissioner Tatiana Moskalkova told journalists Thursday night commenting a criminal case against journalist Kirill Vyshinsky. 

On the night of Wednesday to Thursday, Moskalkova returned to Moscow from Kiev where she attended the Ukrainian Supreme Court’s appeal hearing on the journalist’s arrest and detention. 

Vyshinsky has been arrested on treason allegations. However, the arrest is possible when a suspect is caught red-handed or law enforcement bodies have evidence or witnesses proving an alleged crime, Moskalkova said. There were no such proofs in the case, she added. 

Moskalkova came to the Ukrainian Supreme Court Wednesday to personally check the observance of rights of Vyshinsky. Following the hearing, the ombudsman told RAPSI that it was held based on observance of the principles of national and international legislation.

Earlier, Moskalkova applied to Ukraine’s ombudsman Lyudmila Denisova wishing to attend the court hearing.

Vyshinsky has been detained in Ukraine on suspicion of treason.

Moskalkova has repeatedly requested international organizations including UN, Council of Europe and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to speak in defense of the Russian journalist. According to the ombudsman, the case against Vyshinsky and his detention are illegal.

Russian President Vladimir Putin previously said that Vyshinsky was arrested and detained for his professional journalistic activities. He also called this policy of Ukrainian authorities unprecedented and inadmissible.