Russian National Vinnik Unable To End Hunger Strike Due To Lack Of Medical Aid - Lawyer

Russian national Alexander Vinnik, detained in Greece at the request of the United States where he is suspected of money laundering, can not properly get out of the hunger strike due to lack of qualified medical assistance, his lawyer Timofey Musatov told Sputnik on Saturday

ATHENS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd February, 2019) Russian national Alexander Vinnik, detained in Greece at the request of the United States where he is suspected of money laundering, can not properly get out of the hunger strike due to lack of qualified medical assistance, his lawyer Timofey Musatov told Sputnik on Saturday.

Vinnik started a hunger strike on November 26 in protest against the violation of his rights. Russian Human Rights Ombudswoman Tatiana Moskalkova visited him on Thursday, urging him to stop the hunger strike. After the meeting, Vinnik said that he was suspending his hunger strike.

"Early on February 22, doctors visited him. Vinnik asked them to start taking him out of the hunger strike so that he could live until the court scheduled for March 20. When asked what they were going to do, the Greek doctors said that they were going to inject him drugs for bodybuilders, since, according to them, they have no other means and knowledge of how to act in such cases. They reported that side effects and deviations will follow," Musatov said.

Vinnik refused from this kind of medical intervention, the lawyer said.

According to Musatov, he intends to find Russian doctors in Moscow who can help Vinnik.

"I intend to appeal to the competent authorities with a request to provide Russian doctors if the Greeks are unable to assist him," the lawyer said.

He also said that the hospital where Vinnik is held cannot help him, and he should have been transferred to another hospital, but the convoy does not give permission to transport Vinnik.

"We are seeking his transfer to another clinic or to have doctors admitted to him," Musatov said.

He said that Vinnik had handed over a letter to ombudswoman Moskalkova, explaining reasons which forced him to continue his hunger strike, and requesting to send Russian doctors to him.

Vinnik stated that he was a political prisoner and that Greece was holding him as a hostage to solve its problems.

As of now, all terms of preliminary detention without trial established by the Greek Constitution have expired.

Greek government, as well as foreign and justice ministries, declined to comment on the situation.

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, allegedly headed by Vinnik. France is trying to get Vinnik extradited as well, accusing him of hacking email accounts of thousands of people and extortion. According to the allegations of the French side, Vinnik committed his crimes while in Greek jail. The Russian national has denied the accusations.

In Russia, Vinnik is wanted for separate fraud charges, but he has denied some of the allegations.