In a Russian prison, prisoners convicted on political charges are held in a separate barracks
At Penal Colony No. 3 in the Magadan Region of the Russian Federation, prisoners convicted under so-called political charges are being held in a separate barracks under strict restrictions.
This is reported by Russian Telegram channels.
These are individuals convicted of “kitchen talk” about the Russian leadership, spreading “fake news” about the Russian army, and other similar charges. It is reported that stricter detention rules apply to them, including restrictions on movement within the facility.
Former inmates and relatives of those currently in the colony spoke with Russian media about the conditions in this barracks. According to them, these prisoners are held separately from others. Prison staff call them “terrorists” and treat them more harshly.
It is not primarily politicians or well-known opposition figures who end up in the barracks, but ordinary Russians—pensioners, entrepreneurs, doctors, media workers, public sector employees, and people convicted for comments on social media or statements about the war. Some of them had even previously supported the Russian government and voted for Putin.
It is reported that the barracks are designed to hold approximately 120 people. According to former inmates, the facility is constantly cold and damp, and they are allowed to bathe only once a week. Inmates are also regularly forced to perform hard or menial labor. For the slightest violation of the rules, people can be sent to solitary confinement.
The colony has strict rules: wake-up at 5:45 a.m., lights out at 10:00 p.m., and dinner at 5:00 p.m. Because of this, inmates often go hungry until morning. Former inmates also complain about constant searches, a lack of proper medical care, and a shortage of warm clothing, even though the cold weather in the Magadan region begins as early as fall.
According to journalists, there are people among the prisoners who received long sentences essentially for their words. One man was convicted after wishing death upon Putin, another for comments on social media, and yet another after an acquaintance reported him for a conversation about the war at home.
As a reminder, an artist convicted of spreading “fake news” about the army died in a Russian penal colony.
Prior to this, a Russian court sentenced a former employee of the SK Cadet Corps to 19 years in a penal colony. She was found guilty of recruiting a student into the “Legion of Freedom of Russia” unit, which is recognized as a terrorist organization in Russia.
In Novosibirsk, a court sentenced two scientists in the field of hypersonic research—82-year-old Valery Zvegintsev and 71-year-old Vladislav Galkin—to 12.5 years in a maximum-security prison on charges of treason.
