[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 161 (Friday, September 28, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H9155]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          RELEASE OLEG SENTSOV

  (Mr. SHIMKUS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, in 2015, Russian authorities arrested Oleg 
Sentsov, Ukrainian filmmaker and human rights activist, for protesting 
the occupation of Crimea and sentenced him to 20 years in prison.
  On May 14 of this year, he began a hunger strike that has lasted over 
130 days. Russia has unjustly imprisoned over 150 individuals. They 
suffer psychiatric confinement, closed trials, and harsh prison 
conditions. Russia also threatened to strip dissidents and members of 
religious minorities their parental rights.
  Oleg is in prison north of the Arctic Circle. He receives IV 
treatments of saline, amino acids, and vitamins. His sister reported in 
September that he thinks he will die soon.
  Mr. Speaker, I call upon Russian authorities to release Oleg Sentsov, 
and I call upon them to protect political free speech, religious 
liberty, and the sovereignty of international borders.

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