Crimea-born Ukrainian movie director Oleg Sentsov, convicted in Russia, goes on an open-ended hunger strike, demanding the release of 64 Ukrainian political prisoners.

This is stated in his letter from the colony which was received by Russian lawyer Dmytro Dinze, reports Radio Liberty.

“I, Oleg Sentsov, a citizen of Ukraine, unlawfully convicted by a Russian court, being held at the penal colony of Labytnangi town, declare an open-ended hunger strike starting on May 14, 2018. The only condition for its termination is the release of all Ukrainian political prisoners held in Russia. Together until the end. Glory to Ukraine!” writes Sentsov in his letter.

Oleg Sentsov and Oleksandr Kolchenko were arrested in the annexed Crimea by Russia’s intelligence operatives in May 2014 on charges of organizing terrorist attacks on the peninsula. In August 2015, the Russian North Caucasus District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced Oleg Sentsov to 20 years in a strict regime penal colony on charges of organizing terrorist acts in Crimea.

Oleg Sentsov was transferred from a colony in Yakutsk to SIZO-1 (pre-trial detention facility) in Irkutsk on September 9. In October it was reported that Sentsov was taken to Labytnangi (Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug).

Human Rights Center “Memorial” has put Sentsov and Kolchenko on the list of political prisoners.

Copyright © 2018 RFE / RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty

Photo Anton Naumliuk