Human rights activists reported mockery of a Ukrainian convicted of espionage in Russia

Ukrainian citizen Oleksandr Marchenko, who was sentenced in Russia to 10 years in a high-security prison on charges of espionage, is subjected to constant harassment in prison. He was transferred to a cell-type facility for six months – a prison with strict conditions of detention, accused of constant violations of the regime. This was reported by the human rights organization “Pervy Otdel” with reference to the prisoner’s letters.

53-year-old Marchenko was detained in 2018 in Donetsk, which is controlled by pro-Russian separatists, where he came to try to recover his stolen Lamborghini Diablo supercar.

He was abducted by local special services, he was transported to Russia, where he was accused of espionage in favor of Ukraine. In 2020, a court in Krasnodar sentenced him to 10 years in a penal colony. According to the verdict, the Ukrainian tried to transport parts for the S-300 anti-aircraft system to his family.

As “Pervyy Otdel” reports, Marchenko has been mocked since his arrest. In the detention center in Donetsk, he was questioned. In the Russian SIZO, he was not given medicine and was not allowed to contact his relatives. He was not given a doctor. In the colony in Buryatia, Marchenko is constantly subjected to punishments from the administration, which are said to be unfounded.

During the two years of imprisonment, Marchenko spent 85 days in a special detention facility, nine months in a barrack of enhanced regime – a cell-type facility (PCT), and six months in a single cell-type facility – the most severe conditions of detention. On January 10, he was again sent to the PKT. In addition, he was fined 30,000 rubles on charges of discrediting the Russian army in front of fellow prisoners.

Harassments against him intensified after the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, says the publication of the First Department. The security forces forced him to shout “Glory to Russia!” and call the annexed Krym Russian in response to “Whose Krym?” Marchenko does not admit guilt. The human rights organization “Memorial” recognized him as a political prisoner.