Ukrainian military pilot Nadia Savchenko has declared a hunger strike after Russian jail officials refused to let a doctor treat her for an ear infection, her lawyer said.
Savchenko announced her hunger strike during a video call with a courthouse on Monday, lawyer Ilya Novikov said in a Facebook message. He added in a Twitter post that his client had been refusing food since Saturday.
The 33-year-old pilot is suffering from an ear inflammation and has lost hearing in her right ear, according to Novikov. But officials at the Moscow jail where she is being held have declined to let a doctor see her, he said on his Facebook page.
Moscow accuses Savchenko of involvement in the deaths of two Russian journalists in eastern Ukraine earlier this year.
The 33-year-old pilot, who was captured by pro-Moscow separatists and sent to Russia, has since been elected in absentia to Ukraine's parliament.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.