Representatives of human rights organisations have expressed their fears over the health of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who has declared a dry hunger strike.

‘A hunger strike, especially a dry one, could be a serious threat not only to his health but also to his life, not to mention the added effects from the conditions in the detention facility.’ Lev Ponomarev, leader of the ‘For Human Rights’ movement, told reporters on Wednesday.

’I fully support Khodorkovsky’s decision. But I would urge him to abandon the dry form of hunger strike’, said the human rights activist.

Meanwhile, the head of the Moscow Helsinki Group, Ludmila Alexeeva, was of the view that Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s hunger strike is the ‘only possible way of supporting a comrade in need’.

The head of the MHG added ‘I don’t know what state of health Khodorkovsky is in, but it can’t be good. Conditions in prison are hardly beneficial to the health.’
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As Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s lawyer, Yury Schmidt said to ‘Interfax’: Khodorkovsky announced his decision to go on hunger strike yesterday, which he did on the very same day.’ ‘It is an indefinite hunger strike that will last until Aleksanyan is admitted into a clinic.’ said the lawyer.

(Interfax, 30.01.2008)