Kirill Skripin's advocate tells his health condition after SIZO

Kirill Skripin, a resident of Rostov-on-Don, accused within a graffiti case critical of the Russian president, is seriously ill. However, he was released from the SIZO (pre-trial prison) not because of his illness, but because the investigator did not insist on his further custody, Irina Gak, his advocate, has noted.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on March 26, 2021, in Rostov-on-Don, law enforcers detained three people, who, according to special services, are members of an extremist grouping and were planning to commit acts of vandalism against governmental buildings. One of the detainees, Kirill Skripin, was released under a promise to appear, but then he was detained on the Ukrainian border. On April 3, Skripin was arrested, and his custody was repeatedly extended. On September 23, he was released from the SIZO.

From the opening of the criminal case, only Skripin was kept in custody, despite the fact that he has the diseases that prevent him from being kept at the SIZO – he has a severe congenital heart defect, Irina Gak, his advocate, has explained. "His disease was ignored by the court; and Kirill was released from SIZO due to the investigator's refusal to claim his further detention. According to the conclusion of the medical commission, Kirill needs a heart surgery due to his congenital heart disease," Ms Gak has concluded.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on August 2, 2022 at 01:56 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.