UK calls for immediate release of Oleg Sentsov - statement
This is said in a statement by the British minister to mark the 100th day of hunger strike by the Ukrainian political prisoner.
"It is critical that Russia allows Ukrainian officials and international humanitarian organisations unrestricted access to Sentsov, Balukh and up to 70 other Ukrainian political prisoners. No one should be imprisoned for opposing the illegal annexation of Crimea. Russia must now uphold its obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law and release them immediately," the document reads.
Duncan also expressed concern about Sentsov's health.
"On the 100th day of Oleg Sentsov’s hunger strike, we remain extremely concerned for Sentsov’s health and treatment at the hands of the Russian authorities," he said.
The British minister recalled that Sentsov was detained by Russia after expressing peaceful opposition to the illegal annexation of Crimea. He was convicted on fabricated terrorism charges and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Balukh is also on long term hunger strike and it is reported that the conditions of both men are rapidly deteriorating and their lives are under threat
As reported, today, August 21, is the 100th day since the beginning of the indefinite hunger strike of Ukrainian film director Oleg Sentsov, announced on May 14, 2018, demanding the release of all Ukrainian political prisoners of the Kremlin.
Sentsov was detained by Russian security services in Crimea in May 2014.
He was sentenced to 20 years in a penal colony in Russia for alleged "plotting acts of terrorism."
On May 14, 2018, he declared a hunger strike demanding the release of all Ukrainian political prisoners of the Kremlin.
On August 8, Sentsov’s sister Natalia Kaplan said that his condition is "catastrophically bad".
About 70 Ukrainians are political prisoners in Russia and in the occupied Crimea. This list also includes Ukrinform journalist Roman Sushchenko, who was sentenced to 12 years of imprisonment in a high-security penal colony on fabricated charges of "espionage."
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