17:36, 1 February 2024

Rights defenders call to help Darya Polyudova, activist, kept in colony

Darya Polyudova. Screenshot of the photo from the activist's page on Facebook* (the activities of the Meta Company, owning the Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, are banned in Russia) https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=906651747097234&set=t.100008675319596&type=3

In the penal colony, where she is kept, Darya Polyudova is subject to pressure from the administration and other prisoners; one of cellmates had beaten her up, human rights defenders have reported, announcing fundraising aimed at legal help to Darya.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Darya Polyudova, who is serving her long sentence in a colony located in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR), has not been in contact with her family for more than six months, her mother reported on January 15, suggesting that the colony bosses were putting pressure on Darya. On January 25, it became known that relatives received a letter from her, who is still in strict custody conditions.

On October 19, 2023, the Russia's Supreme Court (SC) refused to reduce Polyudova's nine-year term appointed for creating an extremist community and publicly justifying terrorism. Darya herself stated that there were no proofs of creating an extremist community. She also complained about obstacles during correspondence in the colony, the cold and absence of medicines.

A fundraiser has been announced to help Polyudova, the human rights project "Open Space" reported in its Telegram channel; the message was reposted by the project "Support for Political Prisoners. Memorial".

Since June 2023, Darya Polyudova has been kept in a colony in the KBR, "where she has been under pressure from the very beginning," the post states. It is necessary to raise 50,000 roubles. "The money will be spent on the advocate's trip to Darya's colony and lodging an appeal against her placement in severe custody conditions," human rights defenders have explained.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on January 31, 2024 at 09:32 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Source: Caucasian Knot