NEW YORK, February 19 (RAPSI) – Officials at a US prison where Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko is serving a term for drug trafficking are preparing a response to a request for medical assistance for the convict, attorney Alexei Tarasov told RIA Novosti.
Tarasov said he submitted a request last week for medical attention for Yaroshenko, who has been complaining of pre-heart attack symptoms. The Russian Consulate General in New York is insisting that a Russian physician take part in an examination.
On Tuesday, Yaroshenko underwent a electrocardiogram at the prison’s medical unit, but results have yet to be released.
“We have sent a request to the prison warden by registered mail to provide us with Yaroshenko’s medical history, including ultrasound scans and the ECG results,” Tarasov said.
The request also contains a hand-written note by Yarosheko, who is asking for emergency measures to be taken to identify his symptoms, which he feels could indicate the risk of a heart attack.
Russian Foreign Ministry's human rights envoy Konstantin Dolgov told journalists Wednesday that a group of diplomats from the Russian consulate in New York was expected to visit Yaroshenko in Fort Dix low-security federal prison in New Jersey on Thursday.
Yaroshenko was arrested in Liberia in an undercover operation in May 2010. In April 2011, Yaroshenko was sentenced to 20 years in prison for colluding to smuggle cocaine into the United States. He was caught after replying to an advertisement posted by US Drug Enforcement Administration agents who claimed they were selling a cargo plane for $1.
Yaroshenko pleaded not guilty during the trial. He said his poor English prevented him from understanding the nature of the deal. He said he wanted to buy the plane, but did not plan to use it to transport drugs.
Updates with planned visit of Russian diplomats
