American Journalist Gonzalo Lira Reportedly Has Died In Ukrainian Prison

American journalist Gonzalo Lira, also known as “Coach Red Pill,” has reportedly died in an Ukrainian prison.

“Gonzalo Lira, Sr. says his son has died at 55 in a Ukrainian prison, where he was being held for the crime of criticizing the Zelensky and Biden governments. Gonzalo Lira was an American citizen, but the Biden administration clearly supported his imprisonment and torture. Several weeks ago we spoke to his father, who predicted his son would be killed,” Tucker Carlson wrote on X.

WATCH:

Gonzalo Lira, Sr. says his son has died at 55 in a Ukrainian prison, where he was being held for the crime of criticizing the Zelensky and Biden governments. Gonzalo Lira was an American citizen, but the Biden administration clearly supported his imprisonment and torture. Several… https://t.co/F0nOG9qGvv

— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) January 12, 2024

According to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), Lira was arrested by Ukrainian authorities because he “publicly justified the armed aggression of the Russian Federation and spread fakes about the war in Ukraine.”

From the SBU:

The figure has the citizenship of one of the countries of Latin America, but has been living in Kharkiv for several years.

After the start of the full-scale invasion, the blogger was one of the first to support the Russian invaders and glorify their war crimes.

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He also engaged in discrediting the top military and political leadership and the Defense Forces of our state.

It is documented that in the spring of last year he personally shot provocative videos in which he tried to capture the faces of Ukrainian defenders and insulted them.

He published his “streams” on two of his own channels on YouTube and Telegram with a total audience of almost 300,000 subscribers.

In addition, in his comments he denied the facts of Russian missile attacks on Ukrainian cities and mass murders of civilians by rioters.

During searches of the suspect’s residence, mobile phones and a computer with evidence of illegal activity were found.

Examinations initiated by the SBU confirmed the facts of the foreign blogger’s criminal actions.

So far, the investigators of the Security Service have informed him of the suspicion under Art. 2 and 3 Art. 436-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (manufacturing and distribution of materials justifying the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, committed repeatedly).

The press release didn’t mention Lira is also a California-born U.S. citizen.

Lira attempted to cross the border into Hungary and posted this final video:

Gonzalo’s final video before attempting to legally cross the border — there is some irony in that, speaks to the type of man he was. pic.twitter.com/T6rXLnpsxV

— The_Real_Fly (@The_Real_Fly) January 12, 2024

“Right now, I’m about to try to get out of Ukraine, and seek political asylum in Hungary. Either I’ll cross the border and make it to safety, or I’ll be disappeared by the Kiev regime. This is what’s happened to me over the past three months,” Lira said in July 2023.

Right now, I'm about to try to get out of Ukraine, and seek political asylum in Hungary.

Either I'll cross the border and make it to safety, or I'll be disappeared by the Kiev regime.

This is what's happened to me over the past three months.

1/25

— Gonzalo Lira (@GonzaloLira1968) July 31, 2023

Zero Hedge reports:

Following his release, Lira said he was tortured in a Ukrainian prison, explaining that “two thugs held my head and used a toothpick to scratch the whites of my left eye, while asking me if I could still read if I had just one.” Lira informed followers that he was making a mad-dash via motorcycle towards the Hungarian border.

According to journalist Alex Rubernstein, Lira said that he had double pneumonia (both lungs), which was ignored by the Ukrainian prison holding him.

“I have had double pneumonia (both lungs) as well as pneumothorax and a very severe case of edema (swelling of the body). All this started in mid-October, but was ignored by the prison. They only admitted I had pneumonia at a Dec. 22 hearing,” reads the letter. “I am about to have a procedure to reduce the edema pressure in my lungs, which is causing me extreme shortness of breath, to the point of passing out after minimal activity, or even just talking for 2 minutes.”

In response to Lira’s reported death, his father allegedly wrote: “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. The responsibility of this tragedy is the dictator Zelensky with the concurrence of a senile American President, Joe Biden.”

BREAKING: It is with great sadness I must announce that Gonzalo Lira @GonzaloLira1968, passed away in a hospital according to his father, who has been fighting to get his son much-needed medical attention for the past weeks.

Here is a hand-written note from Gonzalo which I… pic.twitter.com/jY8Mh0xQV3

— Alex Rubinstein (@RealAlexRubi) January 12, 2024