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Moscow’s human rights chief vows to do her utmost to return jailed pilot to Russia

The ombudswoman reassured Konstantin Yaroshenko’s wife that this high-profile case is under close control

MOSCOW, April 24. /TASS/. Russia’s human rights ombudswoman Tatiana Moskalkova pledged on Monday she will pool efforts with the Russian foreign ministry to have Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko, who has been in US jail for more than six years now, be deported from the United States to Russia.

"The ombudswoman reassured Viktoria Yaroshenko [Konstantin Yaroshenko’s wife] that this high-profile case is under close control and steps will be taken together with the Foreign Ministry to launch the procedure of deportation of our national," the ombudswoman’s website said after Moskalkova’s meeting with Viktoria Yaroshenko.

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Jailed pilot’s mother vows to burn herself alive in front of US embassy if son not freed

Viktoria Yaroshenko told Moskalkova about the difficult conditions her husband is being kept in at the American prison.

"After a surgery, our citizen nearly died of surgical shock and survived only thanks to his cell-mates’ care. The pilot has lost all his teeth. Prison’s meals are mainly beans, corn and rice. Visits are prohibited. He is allowed to make a telephone call occasionally. Any parcels are prohibited as well. It is allowed to send him a letter or a paperback book from time to time," the website cites Viktoria Yaroshenko.

Konstantin Yaroshenko was convicted in the United States on September 7, 2017 and sentenced to 20 years in prison. He pled innocence and described his arrest as a provocation. All charges against him were trumped up, he stated.

The pilot had been brought to the United States from Liberia, where he was arrested on May 28, 2010. Agents of the US Drug Enforcement Administration operating under cover allegedly exposed Yaroshenko’s criminal intention to transport a large batch of cocaine.

He is serving the prison term at the Fort Dix federal prison, New Jersey.

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