EU condemns Russia over death of Russian citizen in custody for helping Ukrainian refugees

The European Union has expressed its condolences over the death of Russian volunteer Alexander Demidenko, who has died in police custody.

Source: Nabila Massrali, European Commission representative, on Twitter (X), as reported by European Pravda

Massrali said the EU is "appalled at the news of the death in police custody of Alexander Demidenko, an activist who helped Ukrainian refugees."

Quote: "We repeat our call on Russia to live up to its constitution and respect the human rights of its citizens."

According to Russian media, between spring 2022 and autumn 2023, Demidenko would help Ukrainians who found themselves in Russia to get from Belgorod to the checkpoint on the Russian-Ukrainian border, offering them overnight accommodation in his own home.

Demidenko was detained twice in October 2023 – for alleged public alcohol consumption and illegal possession of a weapon (a World War II-era weapon he had found in his backyard).

Prior to his death in April, Demidenko was being held in a pre-trial detention centre in Belgorod.  The Russian authorities are claiming that he took his own life while in custody.

Previously: The European Union has criticised the "presidential elections" in Russia for being subject to numerous restrictions, with no participation by real opposition candidates, and including votes cast in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

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