Stop the Savage Justice Against Vasily Aleksanyan!
An open letter from prominent Russian human rights activists and opposition leaders in support of Vasily Aleksanyan. Aleksanyan, a former YUKOS executive has been denied medical treatment in prison, and is gravely ill. Since this letter was published, Russian authorities have bowed to domestic and international pressure, and have transferred Aleksanyan to a special hospital.
The inhumane torment of the YUKOS prisoners continues. Vasily Aleksanyan, who suffers from several severe diagnoses, is being condemned to a cruel death in a prison hospital. We don’t know what scenario the executioners have contrived: Do they want to conduct a speedy blitz-trial over a blind and dying man, to then use the verdict to set a judicial precedent in regard to the other victims of the YUKOS affair? Or do they want to ruin Russia’s reputation to such an extent, that it justifies its “Byzantine” self-isolation?! One thing is clear – in the eyes of the world, a monstrous and abominable lawlessness is taking place.
We demand that the Russian authorities immediately implement the instructions made by the European Court for Human Rights, on the hospitalization of Aleksanyan into an in-patient clinic, specialized in the treatment of AIDS and its associated medical conditions, and in the creation of an independent medical commission.
We demand an immediate investigation into Aleksanyan’s allegations that investigators extorted confessionary statements, blackmailing him for the opportunity to receive qualified medical treatment.
We call on everyone who values rule of law and the honor of our country to speak out in defense of Vasily Aleksanyan.
Lyudmila Alekseeva, chairperson of the Moscow Helsinki Group
Vladimir Bukovsky, writer, human rights activist
Yevgeny Ikhlov, All-Russian Movement for Human Rights
Garry Kasparov, leader, United Civil Front
Yevgeny Kiselev, journalist
Sergei Kovalev, human rights activist
Aleksei Kondaurov, deputy of the State Duma IV assembly, major general of the KGB of the USSR
Yuliya Latynina, writer
Eduard Limonov, chairman of the Other Russia executive committee
Boris Nemtsov, politician
Lev Ponomarev, All-Russian Movement for Human Rights
Maxim Reznik, chairman of the St. Petersburg branch of the Yabloko party
Vladimir Ryzhkov, leader of the Republican party of Russia
Alexander Ryklin, journalist
Georgy Satarov, director of the Indem Foundation
Viktor Shenderovich, writer
Ilya Yashin, leader of the Yabloko youth wing
Alternate spellings: Vassily, Vassiliy, Vassili, Alexanyan, Aleksanian, Alexanian, Aleksanian