After six years of investigation and 298 deaths aboard the 2014 Malaysian Airlines flight MH17, one out of the four suspects has denied any part in firing or sourcing the missiles used to down the flight.
Dutch Lawyer Sabine ten Doesschate represents defendant Oleg Pulatov in the pursuit to clear his involvement in the MH17 attack. Pulatov is cooperating and willing to testify as to his version of the events of the downed aircraft in 2014. However, special circumstances must be met as there is an international arrest warrant out for him.
En route to Kuala Lumpur from Amsterdam, MH17 crashed over rebel-controlled eastern Ukraine after being devastated by a Russian-made Buk Missile. At this time, tension and violence between government troops, and Russian-backed separatists were at an all-time high.
In 2016, an international team of criminal investigators said the evidence showed the missile was from a Russian zone and was launched from a field supervised by Russian-backed separatists.
Dutch, Russian, and Ukrainian bodies all performed independent investigation when the crash happened.
The investigation has been ongoing since March. Pulatov is the only suspect who has hired a defence lawyer while the other three suspects will be tried in absentia. The start date for the trial has not been set as yet.
“Together with our client, we will try to establish a time and manner in which he can tell his story,” Ten Doesschate said regarding the trial.
“He did not contribute and he was not involved. What’s more, he did not and does not have any knowledge of how and why MH17 was downed,” Ten Doesschate told the Hague District Court, adding that “Our client does not know what happened. What he does know is that he did not see any BUK rocket.”
“These suspects are seen to have played an important role in the death of 298 innocent civilians,” said Dutch chief prosecutor Fred Westerbeke. “Although they did not push the button themselves, we suspect them of close co-operation to get the [missile launcher] where it was, with the aim to shoot down an aeroplane.”
The murder of 298 people must be met with justice. It is necessary to not only bring the perpetrators of this callous inhumane act to justice but to also find the motivation behind the crime. The ongoing investigation and mounting evidence must deliver the truth as to the intention of the operation.
Laws need to be implemented to tighten weapon restrictions to ensure that access to such powerful weapons does not result in mass murder.
It is essential that we hear Pulatov’s version of events in order to gain greater insight into those involved in the crime and to establish his involvement. Greater importance needs to be placed on the security of military facilities and production sites to prevent access to military-grade weapons.
Crimes of this magnitude must be met with swift and appropriate justice.
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