Thursday, August 9, on the White house website appeared the petition calling on US authorities to assist in the release from a Russian prison Oleg Sentsov. According to the description of the petition, the Director, who opposes the annexation of the Crimea, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on false charges of terrorism.
«Almost three months ago, he began a hunger strike demanding liberation not for himself but for all 64 of Ukrainian political prisoners in Russia», — stated on the White house website. If in the near future there will be no action taken, Sentsov will die because he is in critical condition, said the authors of the petition. On the eve of the petition the lawyer Dmitry Dinze said that Sentsov heart problems, his heart rate dropped to 40 beats per minute, and the Director refuses to go to the hospital.
«We urge our government clearly and firmly indicate their position and use all the levers for the immediate release of Oleg Sentsov and other Ukrainian political prisoners in Russia,» said indifferent to the fate of the Director, the activists who created the petition.
After 4 days from the date of posting of the petition on the White house website it was supported by almost 9 thousand people out of 100 thousand necessary to ensure that it was considered by the presidential Administration.
We will remind, in June the US State Department has demanded from Russia to release Oleg Sentsov, a Ukrainian activist Volodymyr Baluku, as well as more than 150 political and religious prisoners.
On Friday, August 10, the position expressed on Twitter the U.S. Embassy in Russia, calling for the release of Sentsov and other Ukrainian prisoners «on humanitarian grounds».
We remain seriously concerned over the deteriorating condition of Oleg Sentsov. Urge Russia to release Sentsov and other Ukrainian prisoners on humanitarian grounds. #FreeSentsov
— The U.S. Embassy in Russia (@USEmbRu) August 10, 2018
Earlier, the European Parliament appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin asking for the immediate release of Sentsov and other Ukrainians.
According to the rules of the site White, to sign the petition, no need to create an account. It is only necessary to specify the name, surname and a valid email address and then confirm your action on the link which will come to the specified e-mail.
