Ella Pamfilova, chairman of the Civil Society Institutions and Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation, expressed here concerns over Vasily Aleksanyan’s situation.

’The situation is simply atrocious’, E. Pamfilova told Interfax on Friday.
The former vice-president of Yukos, V. Aleksanyan, who is terminally ill, is to remain in the detention centre. Human rights activists are appealing to the authorities to have him transferred to a civilian hospital where he will be able to receive necessary treatment.

‘There is an urgent need to change the appalling situation of severely ill V. Aleksanyan. I hope that the Supreme Court and the Prosecutor General will within the power of their abilities, hearts and the Constitution find a humanitarian and merciful way of dealing with this man.’ E. Pamfilova said.

‘If V. Aleksanyan’s situation – and the situation of other seriously ill prisoners - does not change for the better, then don’t be surprised but be outraged over the impartial assessment of the human rights laws in Russia, provided by authoritative human rights organisations such as ‘Human Rights Watch’, said E. Pamfilova

(Interfax 01.02.2008)