Ivdel № 55: The officer is lying — the Head can be satisfied

This story began last year, when I and my colleagues- human rights activists started to visit this colony on numerous appeals of convicted, where we faced a «special» work routine of  the Chief of the penal colony № 55 Kalinin N. By the way, it’s really difficult to catch him in his office…And what to say, because it is the «big effort» for Kalinin: to take prisoners, and fix problem issues … Well, the most important, as we have concluded that it’s  logging area.

Mr. Kalinin  pays special attention to it, because almost all the time, and even beyond that  the Chief  of penal colony №55 spends in the forests. This way correctional staff answers to the question: » where can we find the chief in order to get the admission to a convicted to provide him  legal help in accordance with Part 4 of Article 89 of the Criminal Enforcement Code. It happened several times last year  in November and December, when I spent days before the New Year standing in the cold building near the battery … Exactly in the forest the chief was there, when we arrived in January, February and March this year … What about prisoners who want to get legal help! Nobody cares! And if the mother of someone comes to this very remote northern city of Sverdlovsk region, who will sign her permission if the law (paragraph 68) says that permission human defenders and  relatives must be signed by the chief of the colony, it should be noted that the decision on such matter shall be made on the same day as the decision to refuse, indicating the reason for refusal. But according to the established practice of our visits to the penal colony№ 55, the chief Kalinin is not there when we -human defenders come over. The prosecutor’s office also confirms the fact that the  chief spends much time in the forests.

And if we could  manage to catch Mr. Kalinin in the workplace, in his office, the resolution of the issue of giving right to provide legal assistance for  convicted  he entrusts his deputy Kantsevich. B.B, who usually refuses with various trumped-up reasons, and we can say- he just lies and cheats. And  he replies with sweet voice that he doesn’t care if the prosecutor’s office decrees he violates the law, well,  the chief of him will be pleased …

Is it a convenient attitude for no admitting human defenders, isn’t it? …

And the question is: for whom and for what are there laws in our country? Some people breaking the law, and they are deprived freedom, others while guarding the prison, violate the law in favor of authorities and feel just fine, expecting  promotions!

Larisa Zakharova

Response of the Prosecutor’s office: