The investigator deliberately refuses to order an expert examination in the case of Roman Sopin’s death, says lawyer
27 January 19:41
The court has repeatedly recognized the investigator’s inaction in investigating the circumstances of the death of Roman Sopin, who had been mobilized. However, the investigator is ignoring the court decisions, and the investigation of the case is not actually being conducted. This was stated in an interview with the YouTube channel "Komersant Ukrainian" by Alexander Protas, the lawyer for Roman Sopin’s family.
According to the lawyer, he was involved in the case at the time when Roman Sopin was unconscious in the emergency room after a complex operation.
“Unfortunately, I was involved in the case at a stage when Roman was already unconscious in the emergency hospital. He underwent a complex operation and passed away without regaining consciousness,” Protas recalled.
It was the mother of the deceased who signed a contract with the lawyer, after which he began to defend the interests of the family.
Protas said that Roman Sopin was taken to the hospital after suffering severe and numerous injuries at the Podilsky District Shopping Center in Kyiv. The circumstances surrounding the incident have not yet been officially established.
“The injuries were severe and numerous. He was admitted (to the hospital, ed.) unconscious and was immediately operated on by doctors,” the lawyer said.
The shopping center’s version is that the man allegedly fell and hit his head on the hard floor. However, the defense rejects this version.
“On the contrary, my opinion has been further reinforced that this was some kind of violent act. Because if people had nothing to hide, this process would have been as open as possible,” he says.
According to him, the defense and the mother of the deceased are being denied the opportunity to see the place where the fall allegedly occurred or to talk to witnesses.
“There are no arguments as to why they are refusing. And this only increases my belief that a crime has been committed and they are trying to cover it up,” the lawyer said.
Protas has repeatedly filed motions for additional investigative actions and expanded expertise. However, according to him, the investigator did not actually investigate the version of a possible murder.
“Because it is impossible to find a murderer if you are not looking for him. All of the investigator’s questions concerned only the fall,” Protas emphasized.
The lawyer also said that the court twice recognized the investigator’s inaction and ordered him to take the necessary actions. However, these rulings were not enforced.
“The investigator conducting this investigation is committing acts that constitute a criminal offense—failure to comply with a court decision,” the lawyer emphasized.
The defense has repeatedly appealed to the leadership of the pre-trial investigation authorities, the Prosecutor General’s Office, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs with a request to change the investigating authority. However, according to Protas, the responses to the appeals are formal in nature and do not contain any real decisions.
The lawyer warns that if the state continues to remain inactive, it may face a lawsuit in the European Court of Human Rights.
“Ukraine may be found guilty of violating the right to an effective pre-trial investigation and bringing those responsible for the murder to justice,” he said.
In his opinion, the delay in the investigation is destroying people’s trust in the state and the justice system.
“People understand that they cannot protect their rights. Faith in justice is simply lost,” the lawyer concluded.
