Ukrainian suspected of Nord Stream sabotage goes on hunger strike in Italian prison

Ukrainian citizen Serhiy Kuznetsov, who is suspected of coordinating the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines in 2022, has gone on hunger strike to protest against the violation of his rights in prison, his lawyer Nicola Canestrini said.

Since October 31, he has refused to eat and is demanding respect for his fundamental rights, including adequate food, dignified conditions of detention, and equal access to family visits and information as other prisoners.

The former Ukrainian army officer was arrested in August near the Italian city of Rimini on the basis of a European arrest warrant issued by Germany. Last month, the Bologna Court of Appeals ruled on his extradition to Germany, but the man remains in a high-security prison for the time being until the Court of Cassation is expected to make a decision within a month.

Canestrini called on the Italian Ministry of Justice to intervene and ensure conditions of detention that comply with constitutional and international law standards. Kuznetsov denies any involvement in the explosions that disrupted Russian gas supplies to Europe in 2022.

(reuters, lud)