Operational-mobile group of Sverdlovsk region consisting of members of Public Monitoring Committee — Larisa Zakharova, Olga Dianova and director of «Legal Basis» -Aleksey Sokolov have inspected three correctional facilities of Sverdlovsk, which are penal colony № 54 of Novaya Lyalya; penal colony № 53 of Verkhoturie and medical correctional facility № 51 of Nizhny Tagil.
On June 30th members checked confinement conditions in penal colony № 54. There is change of security. All convicts under minimum security were transferred to other facilities. This colony is considered to be good, no facts of unlawful methods found. The conditions are satisfactory, repairs done everywhere.
The administration of colony and officers were polite and treated well members of Committee.
In the course of inspection convicts were offered to get legal assistance which might be provided by Aleksey Sokolov.
In the office of colony chief -Yuri Nikolayevich Nikulin held a discussion of results of inspection. Members said their thanks for good work of the administration and all officers. We noticed that funds are spent reasonably.
Upon the end of check human rights defenders went to the rooms for relatives who come over to meet their family members-convicts. There are two rooms for that. The second one was meant for kids. There were nice carpet on the floor, changing table, different toys. The administration takes care of people. Relatives are not guilty that their sons, brothers, fathers had committed crimes. We’ve been to a lot of colonies and such conditions satisfy the heart.
Later members made their ways to penal colony № 53 which is located 40 km far away from there.
Upon arrival deputy of the chief has met and invited us to his office where he offered tea and coffee. We were discussing an inspection plan, places to check. Aleksey Sokolov got a meeting with two convicts according the law. No obstacles made by administration, quite the opposite they are ready to help human rights defenders. Members of Public Monitoring Committee were using photo and video cameras during this inspection freely.
First they got to check of the room for long-meetings where it is being repaired. The corridor, kid’s corner have been repaired already. Officers assured us that there are no problems with long-meetings. Repairs of short-meeting rooms are in line.
Members studied paid services for relatives. Everything responds price-list. If there is fee for TV, there is a TV in this room; the same is about video, audio. In living departments, canteen and different everything is complete order.
Confinement conditions in there are at the high level what please human rights defenders. In Sverdlovsk region there are few such colonies. At the end of inspection defenders shared good opinions.
Unfortunately, one fact gloomed general impressions from inspection. Two convicts complained that they were beaten by jailers upon arrival at colony. Medical workers refused to record those traumas. Convicts showed it to the members.
Upon this fact we’ve filed a claim to Investigation Committee in Sverdlovsk region.
Having slept in hotel in Verkhoturie which defenders wish to be better, members went to San Donato. It’s not Italian town but the place with medical correctional facility № 51 with convicts with tuberculosis.
Human rights defenders have faced the problem of medication and confinement conditions for convicts in facility № 23 in Sosva in March 2014 where they had found numerous violations concerning living conditions and medical treatment.
In medical correctional facility № 51 in contrast to № 23 there are no such awful conditions but in squads № 1, № 3 buildings require full repair. Last time members noticed building timber, this time it wasn’t there but no changes were made.
Members talked to convicts and explained that their goal is not only to state flaws but also to help them out in legal issues especially concerning social security, medical treatment, citizenship.
We’ve checked those who asked us for help. It turned out that isolated cell convict M. is being detained with severe form of lungs disease. For four months this convict is deprived of any communication; he walks a little what is real torture for him.
Along the way M. lost his weight and feels bad; he is simply dying slowly. Convict M. was prescribed single detainment. He launched a hunger strike but nobody put him under pressure or under tortures.
In these conditions human is waiting for release due to the disease; there is one month left but it’s far from certain that court will satisfy his appeal.
In squad № 5 there are severely ill patients that human rights defenders didn’t know about. There are four of them but one is at the edge of starvation. His life hang in the balance, because his incurable disease in such conditions doesn’t leave a ray of hope to get himself well.
All of them have disease which are on the list of Order № 54 but court doesn’t set them free because Prosecutor office objects to it.
Common violations in medical correctional facility № 51 are medicine. How do they conduct examination and medical treatment is a question. In addition bad confinement conditions, food and medication.
In medical correctional facility № 51 as in № 23 members discovered that patients with open and close form of tuberculosis are detained together.
How do medical workers allow it? We don’t have a clue.
In the course of inspection members of Public Monitoring Committee have consulted more than 10 convicts. After we will find out that all convicts complaining of it are subject to disciplinary fines.
This way administration of Federal Service for Execution of punishment tries to stop convicts from defending their rights and it’s not a secret. Familiar ways of penitentiary system which is branch government which is meant to serve the cause of people.
How long servants of Law are going to breach Law of our counry?
Human rights defenders of the Urals.
