OCU Archbishop asks Zelensky to help release and return two Crimean prisoners

Archbishop Klyment of Simferopol and Crimean of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church addressed the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky.

 This is reported by Glavkom.

"In these days, when the world is overwhelmed by the coronavirus pandemic, all believers of different faiths turn their prayers and thoughts to God as never before. Especially at the point where the world celebrates the Resurrection of Christ, but with faith in God in the heart. Pastors should be with their faithful. However, there are those for whom this is impossible. They are ignored by the state. These are two Ukrainian citizens, two residents of Sevastopol, who have been imprisoned since 2016. They were sentenced to 14 years imprisonment in a high-security prison under a fabricated case of so-called Ukrainian saboteurs. We are talking about a journalist of the black sea security publication Oleksiy Bessarabov and a military pensioner Volodymyr Dudka who have been held in colonies in Stavropol region since 2019," he wrote.

Archbishop Klyment noted that he considers it necessary to remind about these two citizens of Ukraine.

"Not only because they are from Crimea, not because other political prisoners of the Kremlin demand less attention. This is because their health has long been a source of concern to their family and friends. While many people have been already released through your efforts, some were exchanged in September 2019, these two Crimeans remain ignored, although their names are on the list of the European Parliament and international human rights organizations. Volodymyr Dudka has a severe form of duodenal ulcer, adenoma, hypertension with bradycardia, which can be fatal at his age (55 years). He developed a dermatological disease in the colony, " he recalled.

According to him, Oleksiy Bessarabov has a stomach ulcer, kidney disease, and progressive vision loss. It was for health reasons that he was dismissed from service in the Ukrainian Navy back in 2008.

"No one considers the fact that Oleksiy has a young child, born in 2009 with physical and mental disabilities who needs constant medical care and psychological support. The son needs parental care, which he has been deprived of for the fourth year, which has affected his condition. Coronavirus is especially dangerous for those with chronic diseases. Oleksiy and Volodymyr are at high risk. I am writing to you with a request to facilitate the release and return of Crimeans to Ukraine. Do everything possible for their return to Ukraine in the near future," summed up the Head of the Orthodox Mission for assistance to victims of human rights violations and persons deprived of their liberty, the Archbishop of Simferopol and the Crimean Orthodox Church of Ukraine.