Dozens of Russian doctors write open letter to Putin
In Putin's Russia, that is a serious offense: The politician Gorinov called for a minute's silence for the victims of the war. A short time later, he ends up in a penal colony, where he falls seriously ill. Now numerous Russian doctors are turning to their president.
Russian doctors have published an open letter to Kremlin President Vladimir Putin calling for medical treatment for war opponent Alexei Gorinov, who has fallen ill in prison. The letter, which 134 doctors had signed by midday, states that the refusal of medical assistance violates the Russian constitution.
Gorinov, a Moscow local politician, is the first opponent of the war to be convicted in Russia for discrediting the Russian army. Gorinov's lawyers recently reported a drastic deterioration in his health. Gorinov was sentenced to seven years in prison in 2022 after he called for a minute's silence for the "victims of military aggression in Ukraine" at a meeting of a Moscow district parliament. The 62-year-old is now facing further proceedings for "justifying terrorism" because he spoke to fellow prisoners about the war.
According to his lawyers, the chronic lung disease sufferer suffers from acute bronchitis and they now describe his skin color as blue. "Alexei doesn't even have the strength to sit in a chair or talk. He has practically fallen several times." The prison authorities have refused a request for medical treatment, the lawyers said.
Addressing Putin, the doctors' letter states: "We call on you, as the guarantor of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, to ensure the coordinated functioning and cooperation of the state authorities and to take the necessary measures to remedy the ongoing violation in the case of A. A. Gorinov." Gorinov must be examined in a specialized institution. His condition is life-threatening and could deteriorate rapidly.
Gorinov is not the only political prisoner who is apparently being denied medical help. According to his fellow campaigners, the imprisoned Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny is said to be in a serious state of health. There has been no sign of life from the Kremlin critic, who was sentenced to 19 years in a prison camp in an internationally criticized trial, for days.
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The open letter from Russian doctors has garnered support from dozens of medical professionals, urging Putin to ensure Gorinov's immediate medical examination in a specialized institution. As a result of the refusal of medical treatment, Gorinov's condition has deteriorated significantly, with his lawyers reporting symptoms such as acute bronchitis and a blue tint to his skin. Meanwhile, other political prisoners, like Alexei Navalny, are also reportedly facing denial of medical care while in detention.
Source: www.ntv.de
