There is concern for the physical and mental health of Professor Yury Bandazhevsky, a medical academic specialising in nuclear medicine. He was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment on 18 June 2001. He was charged and convicted of receiving bribes from students. Amnesty International believes that his conviction is related to scientific research into the Chernobyl nuclear reactor catastrophe of 1986 and his open criticism of the state authorities. He is considered a prisoner of conscience.