Ukrainian detained in Italy in the Nord Stream case ends hunger strike
12 November 12:12
49-year-old Ukrainian Serhiy K., detained in Italy as a suspect in the case of explosions on the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines, has ended his hunger strike to protest against the conditions of detention in prison and violations of his fundamental rights. The Ukrainian’s lawyer Nicola Canestrini told the ANSA news agency, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
According to the lawyer, during his protest, Sergey K. lost nine kilograms. The Ukrainian decided to end the hunger strike after the Italian authorities promised to fully respect his rights, in particular, in the issue of food that meets his needs.
In an address from prison, Serhiy K. thanked everyone who supported him and showed solidarity and care, ANSA reports.
The Ombudsman pointed to the critical state of health of Sergiy K.
On November 4, Canestrini said that his 49-year-old client had been refusing to eat since October 31 and intended to go on a hunger strike to demand that his basic rights be respected. The Ukrainian demanded, in particular, the right to “adequate food, a healthy environment and decent conditions of detention and equal treatment with other prisoners in terms of family visits and access to information”.
Since his detention, Serhiy K. has not been provided with the necessary diet, which has led to a deterioration in his health, the lawyer pointed out. The Ukrainian is being held in a high-security prison in northern Italy.
on November 8, the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets demanded that the Italian authorities protect the rights of his compatriot. The Ombudsman pointed out that Sergey K. is in critical health condition.
“The detention of Serhiy in a strict regime colony under inadequate conditions is unacceptable and contrary to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms!” Lubinets emphasized at the time.
Italian court orders extradition of Ukrainian to Germany
on October 27, an Italian court approved the extradition of Sergiy K. to Germany, Canestrini reported. The defense intends to appeal the verdict again to the Italian Supreme Court, the country’s highest court, the lawyer said.
On October 15, the Supreme Court in Rome already overturned a lower court’s decision to extradite the Ukrainian to Germany and sent the case back to another court for reconsideration. The Court of Cassation in the Italian capital justified its decision by the fact that the suspect’s rights were violated during the detention and subsequent trial, Canestrini said at the time.
It is not yet known when the next hearing in Rome will take place. The lawyer stated that he was not going to give up “until the court considers the issues of international law and human rights in this case”. If the case goes to trial in Germany, it is likely to be held in Hamburg. The German Federal Prosecutor’s Office accuses Serhiy K. of complicity in the bombings and subversion of the constitutional order.
The suspect was detained at a seaside resort in Italy
Sergei K. was detained on the Adriatic coast, where he was vacationing with his family. According to German investigators, Sergey K. led a group of seven people, including four divers. To carry out the bombing plan, they rented a yacht called Andromeda in Germany and sailed it into the Baltic Sea.
Another suspect in the Nord Stream gas pipeline explosions case, 46-year-old Ukrainian Volodymyr Zh., previously detained in Poland, was refused extradition to Germany by a court in Warsaw in mid-October. At the same time, the court decided to release him from custody, and Judge Dariusz Lubowski noted that Berlin’s extradition request “does not deserve consideration.” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called the court’s decision correct.
The explosions on the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 pipelines in the fall of 2022 caused a wide international outcry. Six months after the start of Russia’s war against Ukraine, several underwater explosions near the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea destroyed the pipes. Later, leaks were discovered on three of the four lines of the pipeline, making gas transportation impossible.
