Translated material
Oleg Sentsov went on an indefinite hunger strike
Director Oleg Sentsov, sentenced to 20 years in prison, went on an indefinite hunger strike, demanding the release of all Ukrainian political prisoners in Russia.
“I, Oleg Sentsov, a citizen of Ukraine, illegally convicted by a Russian court and currently in a colony in the city of Labytnangi, have been declaring an indefinite hunger strike since May 14, 2018. The only condition for its termination is the release of all Ukrainian political prisoners who are on the territory of the Russian Federation, ”Sentsov wrote in a note that he handed over through Dmitry Dinze, Mediazona reports .
Sentsov prepared for a hunger strike for about a month and a half, switching to a minimum consumption of food and water. He wrote a statement about the hunger strike addressed to the head of the colony, where he indicated the release of 64 Ukrainian political prisoners as a demand for its termination. He did not demand his own release.
After the start of the hunger strike, Sentsov was transferred to an isolated cell, where his state of health is monitored by a physician; now it is stable. The lawyer noted that Sentsov does not make any demands or claims directly to the Polar Bear colony.
In August 2015, the North Caucasian District Military Court found director Oleg Sentsov and anarchist Alexander Kolchenko guilty in the case of creating a terrorist community, committing and planning terrorist attacks. According to investigators, in 2014, Sentsov created a "terrorist community", whose members set fire to the door of the "Russian Community of Crimea" and the windows of the "United Russia" branch, and also prepared to blow up the monument to Lenin and the Eternal Flame. They were also charged with illegal trafficking in weapons and explosives as part of a group. Sentsov received 20 years in a strict regime colony, Kolchenko - 10 years in a colony. Both denied their guilt.
The Ukrainian authorities announced in December 2017 that they were ready to extradite imprisoned citizens to Russia only in exchange for Sentsov and Kolchenko.
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