A hunger strike by nine people from Russia's southern Republic of Bashkortostan who paid for new apartments that were never delivered has entered its 12th day.
The protesters in the city of Sterlitamak are part of a larger group of 150 would-be homeowners who made full or partial payments to private builder Bashstroi for new homes between 2010 and 2013.
Some apartments were never finished; others were completed but were resold by Bashstroi to other clients.
They nine hunger strikers, who started their protest on October 23, vowed to continue until local authorities met their demands to provide them with homes and approve legislation to protect the rights of prospective homeowners.
On November 2, an ambulance was called for two of the hunger strikers, who continued the hunger strike after medical assistance.
In July, hundreds of people who went through similar predicaments rallied in cities across Russia.
Russian officials earlier this year acknowledged that some 40,000 families across 67 regions of Russia were still waiting to move into apartments they had paid for.
