We continue to closely follow the cases of Russian citizens who are in prison or under investigation in the United States. Amid the unabated coronavirus pandemic, they are at high risk of getting infected. Back on March 24, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov sent US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo a message, calling for the release from prison of all Russian citizens on humanitarian grounds. He has not yet received a response.

The fate of pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko is a source of particular concern. He was seized by employees of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Liberia in May 2010. He was tortured and illegally taken to the US. Yaroshenko was sentenced to 20 years in prison on charges fully based on the testimony of special service undercover agents.

The question of Yaroshenko’s expeditious release from prison has been posed to Washington at all possible levels since his arrest. We suggested using the mechanisms envisaged by the 1983 Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons. However, each time the review of our inquiries was delayed and followed by a completely unsubstantiated refusal.

For a decade, US authorities have had an unacceptably irresponsible attitude to Yaroshenko’s health. He has a number of serious illnesses that were aggravated by the consequences of the interrogation under torture in Liberia. Almost all his teeth were knocked out, and his internal organs were injured. Medical aid is granted only after numerous requests of the Russian Embassy in the US. That said, most requests for full medical exams simply remain unanswered.

This approach is drastically different from Russia’s attitude to official requests for assistance, including medical aid, for detained or imprisoned foreign citizens. A recent example is the urgent surgery for Paul Whelan, whose case is being heard in court. He was repeatedly offered surgery before so as to prevent an emergency situation from arising.

We consider the imprisonment of Yaroshenko and other compatriots who have been unduly convicted and put into US prisons absolutely unacceptable amid the COVID-19 epidemic. We hope the US authorities will show a humane attitude and allow our citizens to return home.