Ombudswoman of the Verkhovna Rada for Human Rights Liudmyla Denisova demands from her Russian colleague Tatyana Moskalkova to investigate the torture of Ukrainian citizen Oleksandr Shumkov in a Russian colony.

"The statement from relatives about the infliction of bodily harm on Ukrainian political prisoner Oleksandr Shumkov caused alarm and concern for his life. The circumstances under which an employee of the Federal Prisons Service of the Russian Federation in Tverskaya region inflicted physical and psychological harm on Oleksandr's life and health are unknown," Denisova wrote on her Facebook page.

She said that such behavior of officers of the penitentiary institution is nothing more than torture and cruel treatment of prisoners, which is a gross violation of Article 3 of the Convention on the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms).

"I appeal to Ombudswoman for Human Rights in the Russian Federation Tatyana Moskalnova with a demand to take urgent measures of response, namely, to stop torturing the citizen of Ukraine, to conduct a thorough investigation of the circumstances of the flagrant violation of the rights to life and personal safety, and also to ensure the provision of appropriate medical assistance," Denisova said.

The ombudswoman also asks representatives of international human rights organizations to respond to the violation of the rights of Ukrainian citizen Shumkov, who is illegally detained on the territory of the Russian Federation, and to promote his personal safety and return home at the end of his sentence.

As reported, in early December 2018, a court in Briansk region found guilty of participation in an extremist organization of a Ukrainian citizen, serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Shumkov, whom the investigation called former bodyguard of leader of the Right Sector organization Dmytro Yarosh.

The court sentenced Shumkov to four years in a general regime colony. On October 16, 2019, Shumkov went on a hunger strike due to the systematic violation of his rights by the employees of Tverskaya jail and the psychological pressure on him.