Prosecutors and judges have deemed it appropriate to keep this gravely ill man behind bars, and one prosecutor even found nothing wrong with disclosing Vasily Aleksanyan's condition, blatantly violating his right to privacy.
Aleksanyan, a former Yukos executive, insists that he has been deliberately denied treatment as punishment for refusing to testify against his former bosses, Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev. Prosecutors claim that Aleksanyan refused treatment, while his lawyer, Yelena Lvova, says he gave written consent for therapy in July. Aleksanyan never received any treatment and has not had a medical examination since Dec. 30, Lvova said last week
Another of his lawyers, Drew Holnier, said Aleksanyan "could die any day."
In an unusual step, the Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights issued three requests for Aleksanyan, 36, to be transferred to a special hospital -- requests that have been ignored by Russia, a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights.
Instead, prosecutors have repeatedly -- and successfully -- petitioned courts to keep Aleksanyan in custody, despite the fact that under Russian law seriously ill suspects should not be kept behind bars during pre-trial detention.
It is certainly possible that someone dying of AIDS could flee or try to obstruct the investigation. But if Aleksanyan and his lawyers are telling the truth, there is no justification for denying him the treatment he needs.
Why are suspects and prisoners with medical conditions far less serious than Aleksanyan's allowed treatment in specialized clinics under the watchful eye of police guards while Aleksanyan is not?
Perhaps Aleksanyan is, indeed, a political prisoner, and such prisoners should expect no mercy from the executive or judicial branches of power. This happens all too often when individuals run afoul of high-ranking officials.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.