In 2022, three OSCE SMM staff members — Ukrainian citizens Dmytro Shabanov, Maksym Petrov, and Vadym Golda — were detained in the temporarily occupied territories of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and subsequently convicted of “treason” and “espionage.”
ULAG represents the interests of Dmytro’s and Maksym’s families. On September 19, 2022, the so-called Supreme Court of the LPR found them guilty of “treason” and sentenced each to 13 years of imprisonment under Article 335 of the so-called “Criminal Code of the LPR”.
In January 2025, the sentences of Shabanov and Petrov were brought into line with the criminal legislation of the Russian Federation, specifically with the provisions of Article 275 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“treason”). They were subsequently transferred to the territory of the Russian Federation to serve their sentences: Dmytro to Federal State Institution Penal Colony No. 9 of the Main Directorate of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia (Omsk Oblast), and Maksym to Federal State Institution Penal Colony No. 1 of the Main Directorate of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia (Chelyabinsk Oblast).
National proceedings — pre-trial investigation under Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
UN Human Rights Committee — a complaint was filed in the spring of 2025. On June 17, 2025, the case was registered with the Committee. The Committee is currently engaging with the State party, and the claimants.
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