The US Embassy believes that the verdict of the court in Crimea to activist Vladimir Balukh at the age of 5 years of the colony was made on suspicious charges. This is stated in the message of the US Embassy in Ukraine in the microblog Twitter. "Crimean activist Vladimir Balukh, who has been starving in protest since March, has just been sentenced to 5 years in prison on very doubtful charges. Russia should release political prisoners NOW, "the statement says.. Recall, earlier today it became known about the verdict of Balukh to 5 years of the colony of the general regime and a fine of 10 thousand. rubles (about 4 thousand. hryvnia). The activist was sentenced to such a prison term for the aggregate of two criminal cases. On August 4, 2017, a court in the annexed Crimea sentenced Balukh to 3 years and 7 months in prison in a colony-settlement and to a fine of 10 thousand. rubles. The second case against the activist was brought about because of the statement of the head of the temporary detention facility in the village of Razdolnoye, who claimed that Balukh had beaten him. Balukh was detained on December 8, 2016.

During the searches from the roof of his house, Russian law-enforcers removed the Ukrainian flag, he also posted on the wall of his house a tablet "Vulitza Heroes of Heavenly Cells, 18". Balukh continues an unlimited hunger strike, which he announced on March 19, 2018. Crimean activist Volodymyr Balukh, on a hunger strike since March, was just sentenced to 5 years in prison on the highly questionable charges. #Russia must free political prisoners NOW. #worldcup # fairplay- U. Embassy Kyiv (@USEmbassyKyiv) July 5, 2018 Source: Left Bank.