Russia's richest prisoner has filed an appeal with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) over the conditions of his incarceration, according to documents seen by The Moscow Times.
Lawyers for Gleb Fetisov, 48, said in the May 11 submission to the ECHR that a lack of hot water, dirty crockery, limited access to exercise facilities and a cell without proper light were exacerbating their client's long-standing health problems, including pancreatitis and kidney stones.
"The applicant experiences agonizing pain that periodically intensifies and causes him unbearable physical suffering," according to a copy of the filing e-mailed to The Moscow Times by Fetisov's spokesman Igor Pylayev.
Fetisov, currently valued at $1.2 billion by Forbes magazine, has been in pretrial detention since February 2014 and is facing up to 10 years in prison on fraud charges linked to his ownership of the bankrupt Moi Bank. Supporters have said that he is being punished for his political activity.
Shortly before his arrest, Fetisov, who served two terms in Russia's upper house of parliament, sold all his assets, merged his Green Alliance party with the Social Democrats of Russia to form a new opposition party and announced he would be using his fortune to finance a political career.
This is the second time Fetisov's lawyers have filed an appeal with the ECHR. The first was in March 2014 when they sought to challenge the businessman's detention.
"The lack of medical help given to the applicant is leading to a deterioration of his health," the latest filing reads, accusing prison authorities of stopping Fetisov from getting the treatment he needs.
