Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko, who serves his 20-year sentence for drug trafficking in the U.S. prison of Fort Dix (NJ), was examined by American doctors, ITAR-TASS reports with reference to lawyer Alexei Tarasov. Earlier, the lawyer stated that his client was in a preinfarction condition.
According to the counsel, Yaroshenko was examined by five doctors twice in one day. "In the morning, the Russian had his heart examined, and doctors examined him thoroughly a few hours later. Such attention to Konstantin Yaroshenko can be explained by the active participation of the Russian side in his life," said the lawyer.
According to him, three specialists were called at Fort Dix to join two other doctors who worked in the prison.
Nothing has been said about the results of the examination. Meanwhile, said the lawyer, the attitude towards the Russian citizen has worsened. " As Konstantin Yaroshenko told me on the phone, they look at him like tigers," said Tarasov.
The pilot's health deteriorated over two weeks ago. The man gasps and suffers from strong pains in the heart. He has high temperature and high blood pressure.
Yaroshenko was convicted on Sept. 7, 2011. He was taken to the United States from Liberia, where he was arrested on May 28, 2010. Special agents allegedly exposed his criminal intent to transport large quantities of cocaine.
"My most terrible day was the day of the judgement. Twelve members of the jury brought down the verdict of "guilty," and I almost fainted. I came home, looked at the icon of the "Last Supper" - Konstantin brought the icon from Kiev - and I threw it away. I took off all icons from the walls and threw them out. How could God allow such injustice? I then went outside to pick them up and ask for forgiveness,"Y aroshenko's mother told the Rossiiskaya Gazeta newspaper.
Lyubov Yaroshenko said that she considered the accusations against her son a provocation: "My son got caught it in the neck in connection with Victor Bout story. He was offered to testify against him, but my son had never seen the man. The jury, I think, did not believe that Konstantin was guilty," the woman said.
Konstantin Yaroshenko's mother acknowledged that she was ready to take extreme measures. "If something happens to my son, I'm ready to set myself ablaze in front of the U.S. Embassy and burn like a torch," said the woman.
Meanwhile, spokespeople for the U.S. State Department said that they did not have the right to discuss the Yaroshenko case. Inmates in U.S. prisons can have consular visits and medical care, US officials said.
"We can not discuss specific cases, until the person signs permission to use private information, and Mr. Yaroshenko has not done that," State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said.
Late last week, Russian diplomats expressed concern over the situation with Yaroshenko. A commissioner of the Foreign Ministry of the Russian Federation for human rights, democracy and supremacy of law, Konstantin Dolgov, expressed demarche to the U.S. Embassy. The Foreign Ministry also said that they intend to send officials to conduct meetings with the convicted Russian citizen and even have Russia's Ministry of Health involved in the problem. In turn, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov raised the subject of medical assistance to Yaroshenko in a telephone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.
"The U.S. is committed to its obligations under international and local law regarding the proper treatment of detainees or prisoners, including the provision of adequate health care to them ... We also provide consular access to prisoners of foreign origin in accordance with the Vienna Convention. Russian consular officials have visited Mr. Yaroshenko several times," Marie Harf said.
Pravda.Ru