Rights defenders and politicians ask head of FSIN to prevent harassment of Evgeny Vitishko

A number of human rights activists and politicians have sent an appeal to Gennady Kornienko, Director of the Federal Penitentiary Service (known as FSIN) of the Russian Federation about inadmissibility of baiting of the Krasnodar ecologist Evgeny Vitishko in Colony-Settlement No. 2 of the Tambov Region.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on June 20, 2012, Evgeny Vitishko, a member of the "Ecological Watch for Northern Caucasus" (EcoWatch),was sentenced to three years of conditional imprisonment probation on charges of damaging the fence around the land plot, known as the "dacha" of the Krasnodar Governor Alexander Tkachov. However, on December 20, 2013, the Tuapse District Court replaced the ecologist's conditional term for real imprisonment; and he was convoyed to a colony-settlement in the Tambov Region.

According to human rights activists and politicians, during his stay in the colony, Vitishko had to send three complaints to the prosecutor's office in connection with violations of his rights in the colony, says the ecologist's blog in the "LiveJournal".

As an example, his last complaint is quoted, according to which Vitishko was subjected to a disciplinary penalty in the form of a reprimand for storing foodstuffs in an improper place. Vitishko kept his food in a "storeroom", like other inmates, because there is no other suitable place in the colony.

Human rights activists believe that colony bosses "are purposefully punishing Vitishko aiming to ensure his transfer to a tighter colony."