Life of Ukrainian Filmmaker Sentsov Not Threatened by Hunger Strike - Ombudsman

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd September, 2018) The hunger strike of Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov, serving a prison term in Russia, poses no threat to his health, doctors are monitoring him daily, Russian High Commissioner for Human Rights Tatiana Moskalkova said Monday.

"In fact, I met him [Sentsov], held a teleconference with him. He has officially announced a hunger strike and he really eats no [solid] food, but he has agreed to be given liquid supplements ... It is very important that he is being supported according to all norms and rules, and his life is under no threat. We are receiving all necessary information from doctors, all the time, every day," Moskalkova said at a meeting with students of the Russian Foreign Trade academy.

Sentsov had said he would stop his hunger strike only after the release of Ukrainians detained for political reasons.

Moskalkova said that it was unclear "what should be understood as political prisoners on part of Ukrainian citizens."

The commissioner added that she could not demand that some verdicts be overturned if she saw no violations of the correct legal proceedings.

"What can I do? I can only monitor whether all rules and conditions of his detention are being complied with ... Regarding this, I do everything in my power to ensure that he is detained in adequate conditions," Moskalkova said.

Sentsov was convicted by a Russian court in 2015 and sentenced to 20 years in prison for setting up a terrorist cell and plotting a terrorist attack in Crimea. The Ukrainian filmmaker has denied his guilt.