Jailed Russian historian Yury Dmitriev, who uncovered Soviet mass graves, is sent back to prison without a diagnosis after a suspected stroke, supporters say

Historian Yury Dmitriev, 70, has been returned to prison without a diagnosis after being hospitalized for a suspected stroke, his supporters claim. The human rights group ZPCh reported that he was taken to the hospital in late September, but no diagnosis has been made due to a lack of diagnostic equipment. Dmitriev was given injections, but the contents remain unknown.

Supporters say he was allowed to rest until October 28, but staff at the penal colony did not permit him to lie down, leading to numerous punishments. Dmitriev is a former head of Memorial’s Karelia branch and discovered Soviet mass graves in 1997. He was imprisoned in 2016 on charges of producing pornography involving his underage adopted daughter and other offenses.

In 2018, a court acquitted him of two charges, while he received a noncustodial sentence for weapons possession, which was later overturned. Authorities have opened another criminal investigation into him, and he was sentenced to 15 years in a high-security penal colony. Dmitriev's supporters consider him a political prisoner.