Irina Danilovich, a nurse and human rights activist from Russian-occupied Crimea was abducted by Russian security service on April 29, 2022. Her fate and whereabouts were unknown to her family and lawyer until May 11.
Irina continues to be held in arbitrary detention. The conditions of her detention may amount to torture or other inhumane and degrading treatment, and her life is in danger. Her health has progressively deteriorated for months, and on March 20, 2023, she started a hunger strike in protest against the denial of healthcare. Her life is in danger.
Download the PDF of UA 28/23 below:
What you can do to help
Write to the Human Rights Commissioner urging her to ensure that Irina Danilovich:
- is released immediately, is acquitted of the crime she did not commit, and that her ongoing prosecution on state treason charges is discontinued;
- immediately receives medical treatment she requires;
- pending her release, she has access to adequate healthcare, provided in compliance with medical ethics, including the principles of confidentiality, autonomy and informed consent, and is protected from torture and other ill-treatment.
Write to:
Tatiana Moskalkova
Human Rights Commissioner
Email address: Moskalkova@ombudsmanrf.ru
***You can also write to the addresses below or copy them in your email to the Human Rights Commissioner:
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
People who have opposed the Russian occupation and illegal annexation of the Crimean Peninsula and the human rights violations committed there since 2014 have faced persecution, including harassment, intimidation, prosecution under trumped-up charges and enforced disappearances. International human rights monitors do not have access to Crimea and independent media are either banned in Crimea or have been forced to shut down, access to their online platforms blocked on the peninsula and in Russia.
Irina Danilovich is a civic activist and a human rights defender who has been exposing problems of the healthcare system in Crimea. She was very vocal and publicly condemned cases of politically motivated prosecution, enforced disappearances, arbitrary detention of human rights defenders and other activists.
On April 29, 2022, Irina Danilovich was abducted in Koktebel, Crimea, by members of Russia’s security forces. Her fate and whereabouts were unknown to her family and lawyer until May 11. According to Irina Danilovich, she was repeatedly threatened with secret execution, and spent most of this time locked up in a basement, under inhumane conditions, and subjected to torture or other ill-treatment.
Her trial commenced on August 22, 2022, at Feodosia City Court and was fraught with numerous fair trial violations. On December 28, 2022, she was sentenced to seven years of prison and a fine of 50,000 Roubles (US$ 720) under Article 222.1(1) of the Russian Criminal Code (illegal purchase, transfer, storage and transportation of explosive substances or explosive devices). She remains a criminal suspect under high treason charges.
Early during her trial, Irina Danilovich complained of severe ear pain, and stated that she was unable to follow the proceedings and asked for adjournment but was refused. Her medical condition has progressively deteriorated since, but she was seen by penitentiary paramedics and refused the healthcare she required. She commenced a hunger strike on March 21 in protest.
Please take action at your earliest convenience!
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