Vitishko's advocate: Evgeny managed to improve prisoners' conditions in his colony-settlement in Tambov Region

Ecologist Evgeny Vitishko, sentenced in the case of damage to the fence around the "Governor Tkachov's summer cottage", has ensured that in the penal settlement-colony No. 2 of the Tambov Region, prisoners are provided with gloves for agricultural works and telephones in buildings of the penitentiary institution. This was reported by the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" with reference to Valentina Shaisipova, an advocate of ecologist Evgeny Vitishko.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Evgeny Vitishko was accused of damaging the fence around the territory known as "summer cottage" of Alexander Tkachov, the Governor of the Krasnodar Territory. On June 20, 2012, the ecologist was sentenced to three years of conditional imprisonment, but in December 2013 the above District Court replaced the conditional by real imprisonment and sent Vitishko to a settlement-colony in the Tambov Region, where he is serving his term. When Vitishko arrived to the settlement-colony he filed a complaint to Prosecutor's Office about massive violations of prisoners' rights.

According to Valentina Shaisipova, Evgeny Vitishko has filed 58 complaints about various violations; however, only seven of them were registered at the office of the penal settlement-colony. According to the advocate, the ecologist has filed complaint about the conditions of detention and the regulations on relations between the administration of the penal settlement-colony, its ordinary personnel and prisoners. This was reported by the release of the HRC "Memorial" received by the "Caucasian Knot".

Besides, Evgeny Vitishko has demanded from the deputy chief of the penal settlement-colony not to use swear words when addressing prisoners, and, according to the advocate, the ecologist has succeeded in his efforts. However, at present, according to Valentina Shaisipova, the deputy chief of the penal settlement-colony threatens Evgeny Vitishko to transfer him to a common-security penal colony and promises to "punish" his advocate as well. The advocate has also reported that she believes she was subjected to unlawful search when she was visiting the penal colony-settlement, the HRC the "Memorial" reports in its release.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.