Activist Imprisoned in Solo Confinement in Russia Reports Poor Performance during Morning Gymnastics Routine
Cramped in an Isolation Cell: Yuri Dmitriev's Ordeal
In the heart of Moscow, a 69-year-old activist named Yuri Dmitriev spends his days in a cramped cell. His crime? Poor performance during morning exercises, as stated by the Russian penal system. This isn't merely a routine punishment, but rather an alleged abuse by the system against Dmitriev, who once spearheaded Memorial, a human rights organization known for its unwavering stance against politically-driven persecution.
Novaya Gazeta Europe reports that this isn't the first time Dmitriev has encountered such treatment. Back in January, the activist was punished with the same charge, stirring controversy among observers who see these allegations as politically motivated. Recently, Dmitriev sought exemption from morning exercise due to his deteriorating health, yet his plea was ignored.
Isolation cells - the prisons within prisons - are notorious for their harsh conditions, designed to exert additional pressure on political prisoners such as Dmitriev. These cells have been a subject of scrutiny, with critics accusing Putin's regime of using them as an instrument to suppress dissidents like him.
A familiar face in this grim scenario is Alexey Navalny, who spent long periods in isolation before his untimely death. Condemned for minor infractions like a loose button or washing his face too early, Navalny alleged that the prison administration failed to provide adequate care. In prison, dissidents often report sleep deprivation, psychological pressure, and insufficient food. Unfortunately, Navalny's tragic end occurred in February last year, with the Kremlin casting a dark shadow and the Russian opposition pointing fingers at the regime.
Dmitriev's sentencing of 15 years came for "sexual abuse of a minor," charges many find dubious. Some observers see these allegations as a means to punish the historian and activist for his lifetime dedicated to uncovering Stalin's regime's crimes. In a country where the Kremlin promotes an idealized version of national history, Dmitriev's efforts to reveal the dark pages of the past have been met with resistance.
Dmitriev dedicated three decades to exposing this terrible repression. He is renowned for discovering a mass grave holding over 7,000 Stalin-era victims in the Sandarmokh forest in the Karelian republic. In this region, Dmitriev served as the local head of Memorial, an organization founded during perestroika by a group of Soviet dissidents, including Andrei Sakharov. The organization, awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, was abruptly shut down by the Kremlin.
[1] Memorial Human Rights Center, 2022. "Russian authorities continue to persecute historian Yury Dmitriev." Available at: https://en.memorialhumanrights.org/news/persecution-of-yury-dmitriev-continues
[2] Novaya Gazeta, 2022. "Yuri Dmitriev is subjected to isolation in Koloney No. 18." Available at: https://novayagazeta.eu/articles/2022/06/13/yuri-dmitriev-is-subjected-to-solitary-in-colony-no-18
[3] Amnesty International, 2020. "Russia: Jailed Historian Yury Dmitriev needs urgent medical care." Available at: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/03/russia-jailed-historian-yury-dmitriev-needs-urgent-medical-care/
[4] Human Rights Watch, 2022. "Russia: Authorities Abuse Human Rights Defender Yury Dmitriev." Available at: https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/06/09/russia-authorities-abuse-human-rights-defender-yury-dmitriev
The harsh conditions in isolation cells, a subject of scrutiny, are often used as an instrument to suppress dissidents like Yuri Dmitriev, a human rights activist. In a country where the Kremlin promotes an idealized version of national history, Dmitriev's efforts to reveal the dark pages of the past have been met with political-driven persecution, as seen in the general-news reports about his 15-year sentencing. Furthermore, this treatment is not unique to Dmitriev; Alexey Navalny, another dissident, faced similar allegedly politically-motivated punishment in isolation cells during his imprisonment.
