A blind political dissident disappears in occupied Crimea, – reports
Source: Dmytro Lubinets/Telegram
Russian officials took away blind political dissident Oleksandr Sizikov from his home and his whereabouts remain unknown, according to Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman Dmytro Labunets. The man who lost his sight in a car accident, was earlier sentenced to 17 years in prison.
He was one of seven pro-Ukrainian activists arrested by Russian-led police in 2020. While six other men were sent to detention centers, Sizikov was initally placed under house arrest.
Under Russian laws, blindness is one of the medical conditions that make a person exempt from custody, said Lubinets in his statement although Russian official see it differently, whichi is a blatant violation of basic human rights.
The human rights ombudsman called on the international community to put the heat on Moscow demanding the immediate release of Oleksandr Sizyukov and all Ukrainians illegally detained in occupied Crimea and Russia.
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