Actually, today I was supposed to publish Oleg’s text about how he was inviting everyone to attend his parole hearing.
He has already served 18 months and became eligible to apply for parole. The hearing is scheduled for June 27.
But then the judge suddenly informed his lawyer that, for some reason, the hearing had to be held off-site—that is, moved from the courtroom (where relatives, friends, and journalists can attend) to the penal colony itself.
And at the colony itself, there is supposedly “no possibility of allowing outsiders in.” Only Oleg himself and his lawyer. So even Oleg’s wife will not be able to attend the hearing. Closed. Secret.
Two days ago, another defendant in the Oboronservis case (a major Russian corruption scandal) was released on parole. Since things are becoming so liberal, they’ll release Oleg too, right?
P.S. Oleg’s latest column in The New Times. It’s called “Hang in There!”