On October 13, 2014 panel discussion on topic «Map of troubled regions in terms of observance of human rights in correctional facilities» was head in Moscow.
There I was a speaker and in the course of my speech I was telling about all the facts of human rights’ violations in various penitentiary facilities of the Sverdlovsk region.
I’ve told about the most troubled colonies for example in the penal colonies № 2, 5, 63 due to lack of time for speech.
Here I’d like to speak about problems we always face in the exercise of human rights activity on the territory of the Sverdlovsk region.
The penal colony № 5 of Nizhny Tagil.
Inmates are hung in handcuffs to the grilles and left in this position for several days.
Besides, warden of this colony -Yury Laptev has obstructed already twice to lawful work of attorney, he didn’t allow to meet with convicts. After what attorney Roman Kachanov has filed a lawsuit.
Court has declared actions of colony warden -Yury Laptev to be unlawful.
the penal colony № 2 of Yekaterinburg.
There is premises operating as the pretrial detention center and the regional somatic hospital on the grounds of the colony.
There death rate is very high among convicts, on average on 01.08.2014 30 people died, the same number died in 2013.
Some death cases have traces of violent death due to bodily harm but officers of Investigative Committee of Yekaterinburg hand down «refusals» which we successfully challenge in the courts.
We’ve received complaints from this colony very often about beatings by «convicts-activists» who work on colony administration.
Also in this colony used to work head of special department who had been earlier brought to the criminal procedures for death of convict.
Constant denial of access for attorneys and human rights defenders is common practice applied by administration of colony. They have used p.119 of joint Order of Ministry of Justice and Health «On organization of medical help» as an reason for denial, according to what, access to convicts is restricted on the basis of this Order. As a rule this rule was applied who had been beaten in order to get from them full confessions. This point of Order was challenged in the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation and abolished as violating rights of convicts to legal help.
the penal colony № 63 of Ivdel.
Administration of colony has built three-storied beds which are not allowed.
Earlier there were no complaints from this colony because convicts were afraid either to write or speak about violations in there.
Lately, convicts have begun to tell defenders about real situation in the colony.
Tortures and beatings of new convicts are executed by hands of convicts themselves by order of administration. These convicts guided by warden are belong to s-called «sections of discipline and order», which were officially cancelled in 2011. With help of those convicts administration subjects inmates to tortures and keeps them in fear. Convicts told about tortures and beatings on video camera to members of Public Monitoring Committee.
On these facts officers of Investigative Committee in Ivdel region have not carried out questioning of convicts but ordered to do it to operative forces of the penal colony № 63. Under such circumstances all the convicts, who had earlier stated about tortures, turned down their statements. Convict Leonov who personally have taken part in beatings, refused his words and agreed on prosecution under article — defamation.
Another convict, former «activists» during trial procedures told how jailers «break» inmates.
It came to a point that convicts cut veins in the presence of members of Committee.
Members of Committee have checked record book of traumas and found that the main traumas are bruises of hairy part of a head and concussion of the brain.
There are also deaths but criminal traces are not seen by officers of Investigative Committee. However when documents about reasons of death are studied, often it’s diagnosed as heart failure and acute pneumonia.
Administration of colony obstructs lawful activity of the representatives of human rights organizations and members of Public Monitoring Committee.
Thus, in June 2014 Verkh-Isetsly regional court stated facts of law violation about denial of access for defenders with convicts according to p.4, art.89 of the Penal Code; this decision came into force.
In August 2014 members of Committee launched a hunger strike at the Sverdlovsk Prison Directorate after another denial of access and beating of convict Tepishev. Commission consisting of the representatives of Ombudsman after inspecting the colony declared hunger strike to be reasonable.
Here is short analysis of human rights’ violations in penitentiary system in the Sverdlovsk region which I presented in the course of panel discussion in Moscow.
Will Directorate take steps to change situation? That remains to be seen. But it’s obviously that General V. Khudorozhkov doesn’t tend to do it, quite opposite.. he ignores information about law violations.
In testimony of my words I want to give two court decisions where the Federal Service for Execution of punishment in the Sverdlovsk region declared to be inactive state body. In brief — chairwarmers.
Aleksey Sokolov, Director of noncommercial partnership «Legal Basis»
