Russian National Vinnik Says On Hunger Strike In Greek Jail Since Monday

Russian national Alexander Vinnik, detained in Greece at the request of the United States, where he is suspected of money laundering, said on Thursday that he had been on hunger strike since Monday.

ATHENS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th November, 2018) Russian national Alexander Vinnik, detained in Greece at the request of the United States, where he is suspected of money laundering, said on Thursday that he had been on hunger strike since Monday.

The statement comes days after Vinnik's lawyer Zoe Konstantopoulou said that her defendant's rights had been blatantly violated in the Greek Supreme Court on the basis of his nationality, pointing to a number of procedural breaches. The court is currently considering an appeal against a decision of the first instance court to extradite Vinnik to France over alleged cybercrimes.

"I feel dizzy sometimes. I drink only water," Vinnik told reporters.

When asked how much weight he had already lost, Vinnik said that he had no idea.

"I do not know. I was weighed for the first time just yesterday. Medical check-up was carried out only on the third day of hunger strike," he clarified.

According to Vinnik's lawyers, they have submitted petitions about hunger strike of their defendant to the Greek agencies who are in charge of human rights protection.

Vinnik was detained in Greece in July 2017 at the request of the US authorities on various charges, including laundering $4 billion through bitcoin cryptocurrency exchange BTC-E, which was allegedly headed by Vinnik. The exchange has said that the Russian national has never been engaged in its activities. The suspect himself has denied the US accusations.

In Russia, Vinnik is wanted for separate fraud charges, but he has denied some of them. France also put the Russian national on the wanted list in June claiming Vinnik was complicit in extortion and money laundering on its territory.

All the three countries have been seeking Vinnik's extradition.