WONG DEMANDS RUSSIA SURRENDER MEN BEHIND MH17 TRAGEDY
PENNY Wong says Russia must surrender the three men found guilty of killing 298 people, including 38 Australians, when they shot down flight MH17 in 2014.
Russian nationalist Igor Girkin, Sergey Dubinskiy and Ukrainian separatist Leonid Kharchenko were found guilty in absentia in the Netherlands overnight, sentenced to life imprisonment, with a fourth man acquitted.
The Foreign Affairs Minister said the delivery of the verdicts was an “important step” in holding those responsible to account.
“It delivers confirmation that the Russian
Federation have responsibility,” she said.
“The separatists had direction from Russia who provided weapons, training, money and the missile which downed the plane.
“We call on Russia to surrender those convicted so they may face the court sentence for their heinous crimes.
“The world today knows that Igor Girkin, Sergey Dubinskiy and Leonid Kharchenko downed an aircraft and murdered 298 people on-board and are now sentenced for life. No amount of avoidance, obfuscation or disinformation by the Russian Federation can avoid that fact.”
Senator Wong also paid tribute to former foreign affairs minister Julie
Bishop for her tireless work in advocating for justice.
Her Coalition counterpart, Simon Birmingham, also welcomed the verdict.
“The successful prosecution … in an open and indepdent court sends a powerful message that the world will stand steadfast against such abhorrent crimes and hold those responsible to account,” he said.
“We pay tribute to those who lost their lives on flight MH17. Our thoughts remain with their families and friends.”
Opposition Leader
Peter Dutton said today would be a “relief” for the families, but the pain would never go away.
“The injustice of what happened will remain a tragedy and a travesty forever. The strength of those families are remarkable,” he said.
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles said he had “mixed emotions”.
“I mean it is a really important step forward that this court has found where accountability lies, that there is a conviction that has been made and that there is accountability with Russia,” he told ABC News.
“Obviously, though, as you point out … those three people were tried in absentia. They remain at large. There is no sign that Russia is about to hand them over and so I think there‘s a sense that there is unfinished business here.”