Ukrainian hunger striker Sentsov ‘near end’ in Russian jail

Oleg Sentsov on trial in Rostov-on-Don, Russia. Photo: July 2015 Image copyright AFP Symbol caption Russia’s jailing of Oleg Sentsov was a cause celebre in Ukraine

A Ukrainian film-maker on hunger strike in a far flung Russian jail is in a “catastrophically bad” state, one in all his cousins says.

Oleg Sentsov, 42, went on starvation strike on 14 May to press Russia to free 64 jailed Ukrainians whom he calls political prisoners.

On Fb his cousin Natalya Kaplan quoted a letter from Sentsov. She wrote (in Russian): “He can rarely stand up. He wrote that the tip is near.”

Russia jailed him on terror fees.

Sentsov used to be found to blame of plotting terrorist acts, including arson assaults, in Crimea after Russia annexed the Ukrainian peninsula in March 2014.

Symbol copyright AFP Image caption Ukrainians have held rallies in reinforce of Sentsov and other Ukrainians jailed in Russia

There’s a top-profile marketing campaign in Ukraine difficult his release. he’s absolute best recognized for his 2011 film Gamer.

His lawyer Dmitry Dinze visited Sentsov on Tuesday and later stated his shopper had misplaced 30kg (66 pounds) in weight and his heart fee had slowed.

During the trial Sentsov denied the Russian charges, announcing that “a court of occupiers cannot be simply”.

He stated members of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) had crushed him as much as extract a confession.

Prosecutors say he used to be inquisitive about tried arson assaults within the city of Simferopol, ordered by extremist Ukrainian team Proper Sector.

The Ukrainian govt says he is being punished for being a Crimea-based totally professional-Ukrainian activist.

Russia’s annexation of Crimea and its fortify for rebels in eastern Ukraine ended in a chain of sanctions imposed by means of Western nations in opposition to Moscow.

Ukrainians were staging protests near Russian embassies across the international, not easy the discharge of Sentsov and other Ukrainian prisoners in Russia.

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