Ilie Cazac's parents to go on hunger strike

The parents of Ilie Cazac, the young man who was arrested by the Transnistrian secret services three months ago, intend to go on hungers strike in the hope that their son will be set free. In a news conference held at Info-Prim Neo on June 7, Stela Surchicean and Alexandr Vinitchii said they hope to be heard and helped. Alexandr Vinitchii, Ilie Cazac's step father, said he will try again to transmit a letter to the Russian Ambassador in Chisinau Valery Kuzmin and ask the Russian authorities to intervene and make the Transnistrian authorities release their son. He stressed that if nothing changes, they will go on strike in front of the Russian Embassy from June 14. “We will be on hunger strike until the end. The hunger strike is not a political step, but a desperate move. The people should know how far things went and that not only our child is a victim of the Transnistrian regime,” Alexandr Vinitchii said. The warrant for Ilie Cazac's arrest was extended and the parents do not know for what period. “When he was arrested, on March 22, we knew that he will be under arrest for two months. This time, we do not know when the hearing took place and until when he will be under arrest,” said Ilie's mother, Stela Surchicean. “We suspect he is being tortured morally and physically. Therefore, his lawyer is not allowed to see him,” said Alexandr Vinitchii. The parents made numerous approaches to Embassies working in Chisinau, the Government, the Presidential Office and even to Russian President Dmitri Medvedev and Premier Vladimir Putin. Ilie Cazac, 24, who is an employee of the Tighina Tax Inspectorate, was arrested when he was returning from work. He is accused of spying for Moldova and faces 20 years in jail. The place where he is kept is not known.