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Russia Urges US to Ensure Program Levashov’s Rights Not Violated - Embassy

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Moscow has called on the State Department and Justice Departments to ensure that the rights of Russian citizen Pyotr Levashov detained in US prison are not violated, the Russian embassy’s press office said in a statement on Wednesday after the consular group visited the prison.
Sputnik

"The Embassy urges the Department of State and Department of Justice to take urgent measures to respect the legitimate rights of the Russian citizen, as well as to ensure proper conditions of Pyotr Levashov’s detention and the protection of his human dignity," the statement said. "The Embassy also demands that the Russian citizen is provided with medicine to treat his diagnosed diseases. We also expect human rights organizations to intervene in this situation."

Levashov’s health has deteriorated because of the poor prison conditions he is subjected to in the United States, the Russian embassy press office said in a statement on Wednesday after a consular group visited the prison in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

"The Russian citizen was placed in a small-sized single cell whose size is two by two meters. There is almost no light in it. In the cell, Levashov is exposed to a constant noise emanating from neighboring rooms," the statement said. "For this reason and because of the lack of a pillow and a mattress (he was given a 1 centimeter-thick mat), Levashov is deprived of proper sleep."

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In addition, the press office said Levashov "is not allowed to communicate with other prisoners, walk in the open and call relatives in Russia. As a result of this inhuman treatment, the health of the Russian citizen has worsened."

Spain extradited the Russian national to the US on February 2. Levashov, who was detained in Spain while on vacation along with his family last April, is accused by the US authorities of "number of cybercrimes, including computer fraud and theft of personal data."

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