Court in Italy ultimately acquits Ukraine’s National Guard member Markiv

The Supreme Court of Cassation of Italy upheld the acquittal of Ukraine's National Guard member Vitaly Markiv.

"The matter has been put to rest today! We won the Cassation decision!!!! All lawsuits were dismissed. Sincere thanks to all involved!!!! This is our common victory. The truth always wins," Markiv posted on Instagram on December 9, Ukrinform reports.

Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Liudmyla Denisova also reacted to the court's decision.

"Great news on the eve of international Human Rights Day! Despite pressure, the Supreme Court of Cassation of Italy upheld the acquittal of National Guard member Vitaliy Markiv! All lawsuits have been dismissed! All claims against the state of Ukraine have been dropped. I sincerely thank all those who have fought for justice, victory and the rule of law for several years," she wrote on Telegram yesterday.

As reported, earlier the Supreme Court of Cassation of Italy received appeal against the decision of the Milan Court of Appeal to acquit Ukraine's National Guard member Vitaly Markiv. Complaints were filed by the Milan Prosecutor General's Office and the family of photojournalist Andrea Rocchelli.

Markiv was detained in Italy in the summer of 2017 on charges of his alleged involvement in the deaths of Italian photojournalist Andrea Rocchelli and his interpreter, Russian Andrei Mironov, near Sloviansk, Donetsk region, in May 2014.

On July 12, 2019, the Pavia court sentenced the Ukrainian to 24 years in prison.

In August 2020, the National Police of Ukraine conducted a series of investigative actions at the scene, in Sloviansk and on Karachun Mountain, as part of a criminal investigation into the death of the Italian photojournalist, and obtained evidence of Vitaly Markiv's innocence.

On November 3, 2020, the Milan Court of Appeal fully acquitted Markiv.