Serhiy Kuznetsov, 49, has been on a hunger strike since 31 October to protest a decision by the Italian Court of Appeal to extradite him to Germany, where he faces up to 15 years in prison.
Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s human rights commissioner, said on social media that Kuznetsov’s wife, Halyna Kuznetsova, reported his deteriorating condition.
Lubinets said he had formally contacted Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Italian Ministry of Justice, Italian human rights authorities, and the European Parliament’s vice-president Pina Picero.
"The detention of Serhii in a high-security facility and in inadequate conditions is unacceptable and violates the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms," Lubinets said.
Kuznetsov’s lawyer has previously claimed that his client’s fundamental rights have been violated, including being denied access to the German extradition request.
German authorities allege Kuznetsov participated in the sabotage, but a Polish court released another Ukrainian suspect wanted by Germany in connection with the same attack.
Kuznetsov, a former military officer, was arrested in August near Rimini while on holiday with his family.
He denies any involvement in the pipeline sabotage, asserting he was in Ukraine at the time of the explosions.
Three of the four Nord Stream pipelines were damaged by underwater explosions in the Baltic Sea on 26 September 2022, at a depth of around 80–100 metres.
Italian courts have repeatedly approved his extradition to Germany, but the Italian Supreme Court initially blocked the transfer, sending the case back for review.
The Bologna appeals court has since confirmed the extradition, and Kuznetsov’s lawyer plans to appeal again.
(ał)
Source: IAR, PAP