The lawyers are not allowed to see the detainees

Open source

The sailors of the Ukrainian fishing vessel YMK-0041 detained by the Russian law enforcers near the coast of annexed Crimea have gone on hunger strike. Their lawyer Edem Semedliaev reported this on Facebook.

“According to the mother of one of the sailors, they refuse to eat and they are desperate due to the uncertainty,” the lawyer said.

He noted that the advocates are not allowed to see the detainees. The complaints to the Federal Security Service of Russia, border service, and military prosecutor’s office did not bring the results yet.

Later he reported to 112 Ukraine that the detainees are on the hunger strike for the 10th day. They are in the border department in Balaklava and they were not served on any charges.

“Only the captain of the vessel is served charges. Other four sailors appear as the witnesses. They are detained more than 50 days, according to us, illegally,” Semedliaev emphasized.

On May 4, Ukrainian fishing vessel YMK-0041 (home port Ochakov) was detained in the waters of the Black Sea for the illegal catch of the flounder. The personnel consisting of five Ukrainians was taken to Crimea as Russia’s FSB Border Guard Service claimed.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry expressed the protest against the detention of the Ukrainian boat by FSB and demanded to release the sailors.

The Prosecutor's Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea investigates the detention of Ukraine's fishing vessel by Russia.

The criminal proceeding is opened in Russia against a citizen of Ukraine, captain of fishing vessel YMK-0041 detained in the Black Sea on May 16.