Ukrainian is on a hunger strike in a Russian prison. He demands to serve his sentence in Ukraine

The Ukrainian, who was convicted in occupied Crimea on July 28, went on a hunger strike to protest his illegal transfer to Russia.

As reported by Roman Martynovsky, expert of the Regional Human Rights Centre, to the Human Rights Information Centre.

Currently, Davydov Yevgeniy Volodymyrovych is serving his sentence in the correctional facility (CF) №9 of the Main Directorate of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia in the Rostov region in the Shakhty city.

As reported by the human rights defender, in this way the prisoner protest against the fact that Russia does not comply with the resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe of October 12, 2016, on transferring citizens of Ukraine to the territory of Ukraine for further serving of their punishment.

Rymma Davydova, wife of the convicted Ukrainian, told that “Yalta City Court” reviewed the case of the Ukrainian and sentenced him to imprisonment for 15 years.

According to her, since the transfer, they cannot secure the opportunity for Yevgeniy Davydov to continue serving his sentence in Ukraine.

“We wrote to the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights. And we received an answer that we need to apply to the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine. And the Ministry of Justice said that we need to turn to the General Prosecutor’s Office. Russian authorities are also redirecting us”, – Rimma Davydova said.

“Russian General Prosecutor’s Office tells to appeal to the Russian Ombudsman and there they hint that this problem will be solved one day”, – she adds.

Rimma Davydova reported that her husband was not able to privately talk with the Ukrainian consul.

“Consul came with the colony’s workers. But how can you tell about problems in the presence of these workers? But he does not understand whether it really was the Ukrainian consul. He has not presented himself. Just said that I’m from the Ukrainian embassy and that’s enough for you”, – the wife said.

The woman reported that she has seen her husband on Friday, July 28. Then Yevgeniy Davydov asked her to send a message to the office of the Ukrainian Ombudsman and the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine that he will not stop the hunger strike until he gets an approximate date of his return to Ukraine from them and their Russian colleagues.

She also points out that her husband is not given proper medical attention.

“He has problems with pancreas, his teeth. He needs a surgery on his nose, because he cannot breathe with his nose. When he turns to the administration of the colony, a doctor comes and says: “We have two pills. Which one do you need “Analginum” or “Paracetamol”?”, – she told and added that her husband is not being provided with medical assistance because he is not a Russian citizen. Yevgeniy Davydov was offered a Russian citizenship, but he rejected.

In addition, she said that because of his transfer to Russia in July 2015, she is forced to reside in Rostov region in order to support her husband.

“I receive a salary, pay a certain amount of money for a patent for work, for an apartment, for food, etc. And Russian border guards do not allow bringing vegetables or other home-made products in Russia. Last time I was brining stew and they forced me to return to the Ukrainian territory and leave it all there. Once in three month it is allowed to hand over 20 kilograms of products. But 20 kilograms is nothing”, – she said.

“Davydov is not the first convicted citizen of Ukraine who was transferred to Russia and who went on the hunger strike in protest against systematic human rights violations by the Russian penitentiary authorities and neglectful attitude of the administrations of the correctional colonies”, – said Roman Martynovsky.

The lawyer reminded that in April 2017 two Ukrainian citizens Andriy Lugin and Yuriy Mykhaylov, who are detained in the SIZO-1 (pre-trial detention centre) of Simferopol, went on a hunger strike. They also protested against their transfer from Crimea to Russia for further serving their sentences and for not providing proper medical care.

In June 2017, Ukrainian citizen Ivan Fedirko announced a hunger strike with the same requirements. He is serving his sentence in CF-1 of the Republic of Adygea.