Aleksanian: "canary in a cage" for human rights in Russia

Vasilii Georgievich Aleksanian is seriously ill with AIDS in Russian state custody, and the government has refused medical treatment while he awaits trial. A Russian reader comments:

I can recall dozens cases of unfair practice throughout the Yukos trial, but this is something outrageous. Now it's in the Russian web press, not paper-based of course... Some reports implied that Aleksanian was initially offered a deal: medical treatment in exchange for his confessions.

Thirty-six year old Aleksanian is a former vice-president of the Russian oil company YUKOS. Amnesty International has issued an urgent appeal that people contact Russian President Putin on his behalf. Your messages can be posted here (salutation: Dear President). Blogger Robert Amsterdam has more background.