Crimean political prisoner Amet Suleimanov moved to a prison in Russia despite his heart condition – Lubinets
Amet Suleimanov, a citizen journalist unlawfully imprisoned in Crimea, is in urgent need of surgery – a heart valve replacement. Despite his health deteriorating, he has been moved from the Simferopol PTDC-2 to a prison in Russia. Even his lawyer has not been notified of his current location.
This was reported by the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets.
He noted that Suleimanov had previously been held in a small basement cell – the PTDC's quarantine section – with 11 other people. Living in such inadequate conditions for several weeks led to the deterioration of the man's health, as he suffers from arterial and mitral insufficiency.
"Due to his breathing problems and high blood pressure, Amet Suleimanov needs medication to relieve the spasms and the shortness of breath. However, not only was he not provided with the necessary medical care, but he also had his much-needed medicine taken away. Moving a political prisoner to another prison in such a state is no different from torture," Lubinets wrote.
He noted that he was preparing an appeal to the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Russian Federation, Tetyana Moskalkova, demanding the immediate release of Amet Suleimanov and other severely ill Ukrainian political prisoners.
"Their failure to provide proper medical care to Ukrainian citizens who have been unlawfully detained by the Russia is systematic, and, according to the Geneva Convention, is equivalent to torture and violates the inalienable right to life. As you know, in early February, two Crimean political prisoners died in Russian prisons – Chemil Gafarov and Kostyantyn Shyring. They had health issues, but never received help," the Commissioner stressed.
As IMI reported, on October 29, 2021, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don announced they found citizen journalist Amet Suleimanov guilty. He was sentenced to 12 years of imprisonment under Art. 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of a terrorist organization) due to alleged involvement in the Islamic organization Hizb ut-Tahrir, according to the FSB of the Russian Federation.
As reported by the President's Representative Office in the ARC, Amet Suleimanov is waiting in line for a heart valve implantation. He suffers from arterial and mitral insufficiency. This condition is included in the government's list of diseases that prevent detention.
He was initially taken to the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don for a hearing, but was later allowed to appear via video call from the Crimean Garrison Military Court. Even so, the defendant had a hard time sitting through the court sessions: sometimes they had to be interrupted so that he could see a doctor. Despite their numerous claims to preserve Suleimanov's health, the Southern District Military Court decided to move him to a high security prison for 12 years.
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