After the spectacular prisoner exchange between Russia and the West a month ago, more than 1,300 political prisoners are still incarcerated. An overview.
He has a mouse to talk to, unless he forgets the words again. The animal scurries through his room every day, and he always puts a few crumbs of his biscuits down for it. Alexey Gorinov his lawyers these days. The 63-year-old was the first person to be convicted in July 2022 for the so-called “spreading false information about the Russian army”. Seven years in prison for paragraph 207.3, a paragraph that was only created after the Russian invasion of Ukraine and since then can be used against practically anyone who condemns the Russian attack. Gorinov only had part of his lungs left when he was arrested. His health deteriorated in the penal colony.
Meanwhile, the authorities have opened a new case against him, this time for “justifying terrorism.” The Muscovite is currently being held in custody in the city of Vladimir, almost 200 kilometers from the capital. In his room, he tells his lawyers, there is neither a mattress nor a blanket, the toilet is broken, and only cold water runs from the rusty faucet. He is not allowed to borrow a book, and he has forfeited his attempt to call his wife. She did not answer the phone on that one call, so he is now waiting for the next chance.
