Prison administration did not allow Archbishop Klyment to visit Sentsov

Archbishop Klyment (Kushch) of Simferopol and Crimea of the UOC-KP could not meet with the Ukrainian film director Oleg Sentsov, who declared a hunger strike. This is reported by Segodnya citing a Facebook post of journalist Anton Naumlyuk.

“Archbishop Klyment (Kushch) of Simferopol and Crimea of the UOC-KP was unable to see Oleg Sentsov in the Labitnangi penal colony, but intends to continue to visit and support Ukrainian political prisoners in Russia. He will discuss the prospects of the work of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in this direction after returning from Russia to Patriarch Filaret,” wrote Naumlyuk.

“I am now entitled to visit Oleg Sentsov as well as other political prisoners, but in order to do this, I have to provide a whole series of documents. In the colony, we were explained in detail what documents are necessary and how this process can be organized legally. Two dioceses of the UOC-KP are registered in the territory of Russia. I will be glad to discuss with His Holiness Patriarch Filaret the situation how to use the documents we have without violating the canons and church rules, Russian legislation. It will be unequivocal, because a person has to confess and go to communion. Oleg is willing to do this,” said Archbishop Klyment.

Explaining the situation of the denied access yesterday to Sentsov, His Eminence Klyment said that the prisoner was misled by the colony's staff. “Oleg was misled. He went in and said:" Two people came to you: one is Askold (film director Askold Kurov - ed.) and a cap from Moscow. Who would you like to meet with?” Oleg chose Askold." They tried to speculate with this statement yesterday, and he just made a choice,” said the clergyman.

As reported, on Monday, June 4, Ukrainian film director Oleg Sentsov, who, while in an Arctic colony in the Russian Federation, had been on a hunger strike since May 14, made a statement about the need to confess.

Currently, Oleg Sentsov continues a hunger strike under the supervision of doctors. According to Russian prisoners, Sentsov receives supportive therapy - he is given intravenous injections.

The Ukrainian film director Oleg Sentsov and activist Oleksandr Kolchenko were arrested by the occupation authorities in Crimea on May 10, 2014. They were allegedly charged with the terrorist acts organization, having convicted Kolchenko to 10 years and Sentsov - up to 20 years of imprisonment.