Journalist, political prisoner Amet Suleimanov reports deteriorating health in Russian jail

Citizen journalist Amet Suleimanov, who has been unlawfully imprisoned in Russia and is severely ill, says his health is deteriorating and he constantly experiences pain in the heart area, reports the civil society initiative Crimean Solidarity, citing his wife Lilia Lyumanova.

The lawyer who visited Amet Suleimanov in prison told his wife that the journalist's condition is getting worse by the day. In addition to heart pain, he suffers from high blood pressure and shortness of breath.

Amet Suleimanov. Photo by Crimean Solidarity

Amet was also diagnosed with retinal angiopathy (vessel damage disrupting the blood supply to the retinal), which can lead to loss of eyesight.

Crimean Solidarity writes that Amet Suleimanov was outraged by the news that the Russia-installed Ministry of Health in Crimea had removed him from the queue for heart valve replacement surgery. The political prisoner contacted the prison's chief of medical service to ask about the operation, but received the same answer: he was no longer in the queue. Lilia Lyumanova says that she is waiting for a response from Moscow regarding the surgery.

Suleimanov has also submitted a request to make phone calls to his family, but has not yet received the permission. He can only maintain contact with his family through letters.

In May 2024, Suleimanov had a hypertensive crisis. He suffers from constant nosebleeds, dizziness, and shortness of breath due to high blood pressure. Chronic heart issues affected his blood vessels: the imprisoned journalist spent a month trying to receive the medicine his wife had sent him.

He is taking medication for heart pain and high blood pressure, but is not receiving medication to support his liver and thin his blood. He was prescribed such medications initially, but the prescription was soon cancelled. The doctors did not explain the reason for cancellation to Suleimanov's wife.

Amet Suleymanov is a Crimean Tatar citizen journalist with Crimean Solidarity who reported on the searches and detentions targeting Crimean Tatars following the 2014 Russian occupation of Crimea. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison for alleged involvement in Hizb ut-Tahrir, which is outlawed in Russia.

Amet Suleimanov suffers from arterial and mitral valve issues. He was recommended a heart valve replacement surgery. His health continued to deteriorate in the PTDC. Suleimanov's heart disease is included in Russia's list of health conditions that should prevent a person from being in custody. Amet's relatives are convinced that living behind bars can be fatal for him.