Chita Human Rights Activists Visited Colony Where Khodorkovsky Is Held
December 6, 2005
Interfax
Chita human rights activists are concerned about the situation regarding the YaG-14/10 colony in Krasnokamensk where former Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky is being held, Vitaly Cherkasov, head of the Chita regional human rights center, told the Interfax-Siberia agency.
Vitaly Cherkasov visited the colony and reported that he had had a chance to see for himself that Mikhail Khodorkovsky's presence has affected the way other inmates are treated there.
"We have been informed that the situation in the colony is becoming very tense, with the colony being to all intents and purposes turned into a maximum security facility," said Vitaly Cherkasov. He went on to say, “As a result, there are signs that human rights are being infringed upon" - not only those of Mikhail Khodorkovsky but of other inmates too, and even those of the colony staff. "When I arrived there, I had the opportunity to see this for myself," the human rights activist said.
He indicated that members of the local community used to be able to visit the colony and talk to the inmates. Lately, however, the people living in the area have been denied access to the colony. The ban also applies to the Chita human rights center, despite the fact that the latter has a valid agreement on cooperation with the Administration of the Federal Sentence Execution Service.
"Access to the colony is now closed to all except the lawyers and relatives of inmates," Vitaly Cherkasov stated. "The arrival of one inmate is now somehow affecting the life of the entire colony. I don't think that is right," said the human rights activist.
"It is natural that the public is interested in this colony; the public wants to know what is going on inside the colony now that Khodorkovsky is there, but no information is forthcoming," Vitaly Cherkasov added.
He pointed out that whatever information was available, mostly of a negative nature, had been provided by Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s lawyers.