from Helsinki Times
Gonzalo Lira, a Chilean-American war commentator known for his critical views on the Zelensky regime and Russia-Ukraine conflict, passed away on January 11, 2024, in a hospital in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Lira's death followed an eight-month imprisonment on charges of ”justifying Russia's military actions in Ukraine”, sparking international controversy and raising questions about freedom of speech and human rights during wartime.
Gonzalo Lira gained notoriety in 2022 as a vocal critic of what he perceived as increasing authoritarianism in Ukraine. Lira saw the conflict as a proxy war waged by US against Russia and critisised the loss of life for a futile and unwinable war.
His arrest in May 2023, under the charges of "production and dissemination of materials justifying Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine," was a turning point. It not only highlighted the complexities of war-time free speech but also catalysed opposition movements against US funding for the conflict. High-profile figures like tech mogul Elon Musk and Fox News host Tucker Carlson called for his release, bringing global attention to his case.
The news of Lira's deteriorating health emerged from communications between his father, Gonzalo Lira Sr., and the US embassy. Documents and emails revealed attempts by Lira Sr. to alert the embassy about his son's critical condition and the lack of transparency from Ukrainian authorities regarding his health status.
“I cannot accept the way my son has died. He was tortured, extorted, incommunicado for 8 months and 11 days and the US Embassy did nothing to help my son,” Lira Sr. stated in an email announcing the news.
“The responsibility of this tragedy is [with] the dictator Zelensky with the concurrence of a senile American President, Joe Biden,” he wrote, adding: “My pain is unbearable. The world must know what is going on in Ukraine with that inhuman dictator Zelensky.”...
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