Today on 20 October 2014 experts of Fund «For convicts’ rights protection» — Aleksey Sokolov and Larisa Zakharova proved again in Verkh-Isetsky regional court that administration of the penal colony № 63 (which is known as «torture chamber») use unlawful methods not only towards convicts but human rights defenders either.
Earlier court had declared that administration of this colony illegally doesn’t admit human defenders for meetings with prisoners. It’s not a secret that resistance to meetings of defenders with convicts happens when there are huge problems with human rights abidance. It’s commonly known that in the penal colony № 63 tortures, beatings, humiliations and sexual abuse towards convicts are common there. Upon arrival at the colony activists from «section of order and discipline» grabbed new prisoner and dragged him to shower room where they «break» person. Human rights defenders trying to protect rights of prisoners face serious resistance of jailers.
So.. one more time administration of colony hasn’t admit expert of Fund «For convicts’ rights protection» Aleksey Sokolov for meeting with a convict who had been subjects to physical abuse in the penal colony № 63. The fake reason by administration was missing requests of meetings from prisoners. Let’s recall that these reasons have already been declared to be unlawful during court hearings against former warden of the penal colony № 62 — Aleksandr Gusev who is being detained under sentence of court.
Today in a court as a co-defendant was called up Sverdlovsk Federal Service for Execution of punishment as inactive state body because Aleksey Sokolov had applied to them complaining of illegal actions of colony. Federal Service has studied his complaint cursory without any inspection being conducted and sent a run-around reply.
Prosecutor office unlike jailers has carried out full inspection with questioning of convicts and stated a fact of violation rule about providing a meeting. Order to correct found violations has been rendered towards warden of the penal colony № 63.
Judge N. Netsvetayeva in her decision has agreed on allegations of applicants and partly satisfied a petition of Fund «For convicts’ rights protection» declaring actions of administration of colony № 63 to be illegal over denial of access for Aleksey Sokolov.
But judge upon unknown reasons has refused to rule illegal inactivity of Federal Service in protection of rights of prisoners even if this fact is obvious. Inspection was not fully conducted and based on conclusions of colony administration.
Lately Federal Service run by General Sergey Khudorozhkov absolutely has refused to acknowledge violations in actions of prison staff. Service is constantly covering those officers who violate Law.
This court decision will be posted on site: Human Rights Defenders of the Urals as soon as we get it.
One more petition of Fund in preliminary examination by Verkh-Isetsky regional court about denial of access of experts in the penal colony № 63. Soon there will be court hearings upon this case.
Work of human rights defenders for restoration of rights of prisoners in penitentiary system of the Sverdlovsk region is going on.
Human rights defenders of the Urals.
