The penal colony № 63 was visited by Committee from Moscow

Five days after our cooperative visit to the penal colony № 63, we’ve decided to stop a hunger strike. We’ve taken time to give analysis of things happening there, because there was something to think about and consider all the pros and cons.

Omission of act of the representatives of the executive powers and supervising bodies in Sverdlovsk region have resulted in extreme measures from human rights defenders — they had launched a hunger strike.

On August 13^th, 2014 committee from the Russian Federation Ombudsman’s Directorate — Head of human rights department -V.F.Nemchenkov and senior consultant -A.G.Malankin. There was organized a trip to the penal colony № 63, in which also General Khudorozhkov, his deputy Syrkashov, Ivdel prosecutor Alexander Laninkin, the representative of local Ombudsman -Sergey Sannikov, members of Public Monitoring Committee -Olga Dianova, Larisa Zakharova and Vasily Rybakov.

All the inspectors were divided into two groups and made rounds in solitaries and ward-types rooms, squads as well as they questioned prisoners there.

Inspectors have seen local «place of interest» — three-storey beds.

As Vasily Rybakov said,- «Miracles of engineering mind. These types of beds help to get skills in alpinism and teach inmates to fight with their fear of heights.»

There were several convicts who told on video about tortures and use of physical and psychological abuse. Morethan 20 people were consulted.

Also there were convicts out of «activists» who said that human rights defenders distract them from living quietly in facility; when defenders come over, «activists» are forced to stay outside and generally everything is fine there. Two prisoners have written a statement to transfer them to safe place.

Head of the Prison Chief Directorate gave them a «saint» word to put them into special safe cells under 24 hours video control.

Besides, Sergey Khudorozhkov has assured us that all records might be checked anytime we want and central observation station is outside of the facility.

On August 15^th, 2014 following the results of inspection, in the Federal Service for Execution of punishment’s building there was a meeting held with all the representatives from law enforcement agencies.

It turned out that not every member of Public Monitoring Committee knew about situation in the penal colony № 63 as well as about a hunger strike. All the rest didn’t find any problems in there.

All the participants were given 5 minutes to say a word but not everybody could manage to speak.

From some members went stranger appeals to Moscow guests. Thus, member of Sverdlovsk Committee — Elfimov asked the representatives of the Russian Federation Ombudsman to prohibit members to spread information about public control on their web-blogs and sites because this information take officials from penitentiary system off the work.

We don’t understand that why some members of Committee are trying to please jailers?

The representatives of the Russian Federation Ombudsman stated that law won’t be changed but any public activists and defenders should be governed by the Code of ethics of a member of Public Monitoring Committee.

Moscow guest read out all violations they have found. Except violations of standards of sanitary, the representatives saw that there is a thing like providing several convicts with special powers.

Committee considered a hunger strike to be reasonable but they hope it won’t happen again.

All the materials gathered during inspection will be handed to the General prosecutor office and personally to Ella Panfilova.

As for us, upon all the broken promises of General of the Federal Service for Execution of punishment we are allowed to call right to Ombudsman Directorate.

“Upon execution of the project means of state assistance are used allocated as grant according to Order of President of the Russian Federation on 18.09.2013 № 348-рп”) and based on competition of Donor”

Larisa Zakharova,  member of Sverdlovsk Public Monitoring Committee