Denial Of Access To Skripals Heightens Suspicions About Forced Isolation - Russian Embassy

Denial of Access to Skripals Heightens Suspicions About Forced Isolation - Russian Embassy

London's denying public access to Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, who were allegedly subject to a nerve agent attack in Salisbury in March, for over five months increases suspicions about their forced isolation, the spokesman for the Russian Embassy in London said Tuesday.

LONDON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th August, 2018) London's denying public access to Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, who were allegedly subject to a nerve agent attack in Salisbury in March, for over five months increases suspicions about their forced isolation, the spokesman for the Russian Embassy in London said Tuesday.

The spokesman stressed that for almost half a year the Russian citizens have been deprived of contacts with relatives, friends, journalists, Russian official representatives, as well as freedom of movement.

"London persists in its refusing our contacting [the Skripals] in order to make sure that they are not pressured by the [UK] authorities. This only increases suspicions about Skripals' forced isolation or the inconsistency between their real condition and the one that is being officially declared," the spokesman told reporters.

According to the Russian Embassy, journalists also cannot gain access to the Skripals without a prior approval by the authorities, which may indicate that the issue is censored in the United Kingdom.

On March 4, Skripal and his daughter were found unconscious on a bench at a shopping center in Salisbury. The United Kingdom and its allies accused Moscow of having orchestrated the attack with what UK experts claim was the A234 nerve agent, without presenting any proof. Russian authorities have strongly refuted the allegations as groundless.

The Skirpals have since recovered from the attack and were discharged from the hospital where they were being treated.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has delivered over 60 noted to the UK Foreign Office requesting the access to the investigation into the case, affected Russian citizens and offering cooperation, including in conducting a joint probe into the incident, however, they were left without response by the UK authorities.