Azat’s lawyer reports that on May 1, Azat told the head of his labor detachment at the prison colony that he declined to participate in the prisoners’ parade for the upcoming May 9 Victory Day celebration. While Azat was told that participation in the parade was voluntary, on May 6, a prison officer summoned Azat and told him that the authorities allegedly received a threat of attack on Azat by other prisoners. As a result, Azat was placed in isolation in a medical unit, where he remained until May 12. At that time Azat was asked to sign two statements, one saying that he received no threats from other prisoners and the other saying that nothing threatened his health. Azat refused to sign these statements and was released in the general population of the colony.
According to Azat’s lawyer, he indeed received no threats from other prisoners, and the episode appears to have been concocted by the authorities to isolate him from other inmates in preparation for the May 9 celebration.
The case of Azat Miftakhov 