A 71-year-old Ukrainian accused of espionage has died in a Russian prison

The Associated Press

Human rights activists say a 71-year-old Ukrainian man has died in a Russian prison while on trial for espionage. Court documents found by the human rights group Memorial revealed that the Russian state had closed its case against the late Viktor Demchenko, who had been accused of spying, participation in a terrorist group, and the illegal possession of weapons. Officials later told Russian state news agency Tass that Demchenko died on Dec. 31 as the result of a stroke several days earlier, but did not say why it had taken so long for the news to come public.