Update of July 24, 2023
As reported by the FreeAzat! Telegram channel, during the July 19 hearing at the Omutninsk correctional colony that gave Azat a 7-day solitary confinement punishment, Azat was also officially declared to be a “malicious violator” of the prison rules. That means that when Azat completes his solitary confinement, he will not go back to the colony’s general population. Instead, he will be transferred to a “strict conditions” detention where he will serve the remainder of his sentence. There Azat will no longer be able to make or receive phone calls and to receive parcels. The last remaining meetings with his family will also be cancelled.
We remain concerned that these escalating punitive measures against Azat indicate that the colony administration plans to ask the court to impose a particularly restrictive form of parole, called “administrative supervision”, if Azat gets released as scheduled on September 6. Another, also extremely concerning, possibility is that the FSB will attempt to exert extra pressure on Azat regarding the “Network” case, while he is effectively cut from outside contact in the next six weeks.
We remain committed to fighting for Azat’s freedom and reaffirm our support for him in this difficult time.
Update July 19, 2023
The Azat Miftakhov Committee received an extremely alarming news that, in July, Azat has been put in solitary confinement twice: the first time on July 12, for three days and the second time on July 19, for seven days.
The three day isolation term was ostensibly for some kind of violation of the rules regarding the contents of Azat’s bag, and the seven day isolation term was for lying down on the bed during the day while serving the three day isolation term. While in solitary confinement, Azat is required during the day to sit on a backless unsupported bench. Doing so exacerbates Azat’s back pain and headaches from which he has been suffering since even before the arrest. The colony administration forbade Azat from wearing a back brace, which alleviates these problems and which was recommended by a doctor. Azat is currently appealing this second, seven day, solitary confinement.
Azat is currently scheduled to be paroled from the Omutninsk prison colony on September 6, 2023, a little over a month from now. It appears that this recent escalation of punitive measures directed at Azat by the colony administration indicates their intention to impose a severely restricted form of parole (called “administrative supervision”) in case Azat does get released.
We are greatly concerned by these developments and call on the Russian authorities to respect Azat’s rights, to ensure that he receives all the necessary medical treatment while at the colony and to release him as soon as possible.
The case of Azat Miftakhov 