Activist Balukh goes on hunger strike, placed in solitary confinement, - human rights defender
Pro-Ukrainian activist Volodymyr Balukh, who was convicted on trumped-up charges of weapons possession by occupying authorities of Crimea, continues hunger strike he went on yesterday.
As reported by Censor.NET, a member of the Crimea-based Human Rights Group Volodymyr Chekryhin told Krym.Realii on March 20.
According to him, Balukh went on an indefinite hunger strike as a mark of protest against his verdict. However, the activist’s relatives are very much concerned about his health condition.
"According to his common-law wife, Balukh has a liver problem which makes a hunger strike extremely dangerous for him. Attempts were made to talk him out of this, but Volodymyr is a determined person. It is impossible to make him change his mind. This was an emotional decision," Chekryhin said.
The human rights activist notes that Balukh is currently out of reach being placed in a solitary confinement under round-the-clock monitoring which is a special measure taken against those who go on a hunger strike. There is currently no way to reach out the political prisoner as only Balukh’s lawyers have such a possibility.
The defenders of the convicted activist could not be reached immediately for comment on his health condition.
