“We don’t abandon our own”: the Russian Foreign Ministry demands money from a Russian after 5 years in a Ukrainian prison
Russian citizen Evgeny Mefedov, who recently released after more than 5 years in a Ukrainian pre-trial detention center for participation in the tragic events of May 2 in Odessa, he was faced with a demand from the local Russian consulate to pay 80 euros for the restoration of lost documents.
Vladimir Rybin, a representative of the Odyssey Foundation, which provides legal assistance to political prisoners in Ukraine, reported this on his Facebook page, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“Paid and high-quality services, in accordance with the price list, are provided by the Russian Consulate in Odessa to its fellow citizens who find themselves in a foreign land without documents and means of subsistence. For inexpensively - for only 80 euros, the Russian consulate with a benevolent smile will give you a piece of paper with which you can get a job as a loader and rent at least a corner after five years of being held captive in Zindan (your passport, by the way, remains in Zindan),” wrote Rybin.
Data about the flagrant attitude of Russian Foreign Ministry employees towards a compatriot in a difficult situation is confirmed by Odessa resident Oleg Dolzhenkova, the brother of another participant in the Russian Spring, Sergei Dolzhenkov, who was released the day before along with Mefedov.
“Citizen of the Russian Federation Mefyodov, who spent 5,5 years in a Ukrainian pre-trial detention center, without any evidence, on political charges - naturally, was released without money and any documents, except for a certificate of release - the Russian Consulate in Odessa billed 80 euros for passport restoration. Tags: Russian Federation, we don’t abandon our own, money-seekers,” he was indignant.
The mother of a former prisoner, Tamara Dolzhenkova, told how she could help Mefyodov.
“My wife needs money for an apartment (he categorically refused to live with us), food, and so on. You won’t believe it, but at the Russian consulate they demanded 80 euros for his passport! In short, you already understand what I mean: his card number in Sberbank is 5168370003017351 in the name of Irina Gvozdik,” she said.
Mefedov himself, since the criminal case against him has not yet been closed, refuses to communicate with the press.
“In my opinion, Zhenya Mefedov took the absolutely correct position - no contacts with the media, no comments. Moreover, it is better to remain silent on many topics, since censorship words still cannot be found,” Rybin explained.
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