Yesypenko’s health deteriorated in custody

RFE/RL

The health condition of Vladyslav Yesypenko, freelancer for Radio Liberty (a project of Krym.Realii) arrested in the occupied Crimea, has deteriorated, as Krym.Realii reported. 

His wife, Kateryna Yesypenko, related it to the tortures inflicted to him. As Kateryna Yesypenko told, his husband’s urolithiasis worsened. He was not provided with the necessary medical care in the pre-trial detention center, so about a week ago, he was taken to a civilian hospital by ambulance.

"After having been tortured, Vladyslav's health, of course, has deteriorated. I am worried of his blood pressure, aggravated urolithiasis, he began to see poorly. The doctor of superior expert category, doctor-urologist of the metropolitan clinic "Harmony of Health" Mikhaylo Trofimov said that when the person was diagnosticated with urolithiasis and when he had calculus in his kidneys, any blow to abdomen could make calculus passing to the ureter, disfunction of urine drainage from the kidneys and subsequent obstructive pyelonephritis associated with severe pain, ”said Kateryna Yesypenko.

Kateryna Yesipenko had previously claimed that her husband had been forced to testify by resorting to torture.

On July 6, a Russian court in the occupied Crimea extended the arrest of Vladislav Yesipenko until December 18.

Vladyslav Yesypenko has been charged under Article 223-1 of the Criminal Code of Russia (illegal manufacture of explosives, processing or repair of explosive devices) and Article 222.1 of the Criminal Code (illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation or carrying of weapons, their main parts, ammunition).

Sanctions under both articles provide for up to 12 years in prison. The maximum term of imprisonment under a combination of two articles is 18 years of imprisonment.

On July 15, in the Russian-controlled Simferopol District Court, a Russian prosecutor announced an indictment in the case of Radio Liberty journalist Vladislav Yesipenko. He is charged under Articles 223-1 (illegal manufacture of explosives, processing or repair of explosive devices) and 222.1 (illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation or carrying of weapons, their main parts, ammunition) of the Criminal Code of Russia. 

Sanctions under both articles include up to 12 years in prison. The maximum term of imprisonment under a combination of two articles is 18 years of imprisonment.

On July 6, the Simferopol Occupation Court extended Vladyslav Yesypenko's arrest until January 18. Yesypenko fainted that day as he was being transported from the court building to a pre-trial detention center.

As IMI reported, on March 10, Russian FSB officers detained Vladislav Yesypenko, a freelancer of Radio Svoboda (Crimea.Realities project), in the occupied Crimea. Yesypenko took part in the action dedicated to Taras Shevchenko's anniversary, which took place in Simferopol on March 9. The arrest term is until May 11.

Yesypenko is accused of gathering information "in the interests of Ukraine's special services," including for the Foreign Intelligence Service, the Russian FSB's Public Relations Center reported on March 16. According to the FSB, Yesipenko "carried out photo and video recording of the area, livelihoods and places of mass stay of people in the Crimea."

On 5 May, a new charge was brought against Vladyslav Yesypenko. His wife Kateryna Yesypenko said Vladyslav was accused additionally of an illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, or carrying of weapons and ammunition (Art. 222 of the Criminal Code).

As IMI reported, on April 13, Vladyslav Yesypenko's lawyer Oleksiy Ladin said that his client was threatened with murder by a FSB officer if he withheld his previous testimony he made under torture.

On April 12, Ladin reported that in the first days after his detention, the FSB had illegally taken saliva from Esypenko for a biological examination.

On April 9, As IMI reported, on April 12, Russian FSB officers in Crimea threatened the execution to Vladyslav Yesypenko, an arrested contributor to Radio Liberty (Crimea.Reality RFE/RL project), after he accused the FSB of torturing him before the Crimean court..

As IMI reported, on April 6, Vladyslav Yesypenko said that FSB investigators had tortured him. He said this on April 6 during a session of the Supreme Court of Crimea.