MOSCOW, September 21 (RAPSI, Oleg Sivozhelezov) – The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has communicated an application over refusal to provide Sergei Kuznetsov, 54, who has died in a Sverdlovsk Region prison, with medical help, lawyer Sergei Petryakov told RAPSI on Wednesday.

Petryakov said that, since Kuznetsov, who had no close relatives, has died, Human rights association Agora has been acknowledged as the applicant. Agora’s lawyers have earlier represented interests of Kuznestov in courts.

ECHR has forwarded several questions to Russian Government regarding Kuznetsov’s case, concerning medical care in particular.

According to Permyakov, Russian authorities violated Article 2 (Right to life) and Article 3 (Prohibition of torture) of the European Convention of Human Rights.

According to another Kuznetsov’s attorney, Alexei Bushmakov, the Russian authorities did not provide requisite medical assistance to Kuznetsov in prison and did not release him although he had the legal right to be released. “Sergei had several serious diseases, including oral cancer. The prison doctors defined his condition as serious and were expecting an adverse outcome. Furthermore, Kuznetsov’s diagnosis is on the list of diseases that has been approved by a government resolution and can be used to release a prisoner from his term,” Bushmakov said earlier.

A petition to release Kuznetsov was filed by the administration of Prison No. 2 where Kuznetsov served his sentence. The Verkh-Isetsky District Court of Yekaterinburg dismissed the motion in July.

In mid-August Kuznetsov died. In September, the Sverdlovsk Region Court has ruled against the lower court’s refusal to release the terminally ill prisoner and closed the case due to his death. Human rights activists quoted independent medical experts who revealed gross violations during provision medical care for Kuznetsov. According to experts, if sufficient medical care was provided, Kuznetsov’s life could be extended by five years.