The hierarchy of punishments for prisoners in the Russian prison system looks like this: a) An ordinary inmate in the general regime. If the authorities want to worsen his conditions, the inmate is repeatedly sent to a punishment cell (SHIZO) for actual violations — though more often invented ones. The maximum term in SHIZO is 15 days. After several violations, the inmate can be transferred to SUS. b) SUS — strict detention conditions. This means a cell rather than a barracks-style dormitory. Fewer visits, fewer care packages. Need to put more pressure on him? Back to SHIZO again, and then the person is sent to PKT. c) PKT. A cell-type facility. In prison slang, this is called “under the roof.” At this point, the person is held entirely within four walls. In SUS there are still some shared spaces, but here there is only the cell. Even fewer visits, even fewer care packages.
And if they really want to crush an inmate completely, there is one final step: d) Solitary cell confinement. The maximum is 6 months, since solitary confinement is widely regarded as a form of torture. From the very beginning, Oleg was subjected to a combination of points b) and d). After several stints in SHIZO, he was placed under strict detention conditions and kept in solitary. He spent 2.5 years like that — 2 years longer than the legal maximum. And now, with less than a month left on his sentence (and Oleg will serve the full 3.5 years, from start to finish), they first shoved him back into SHIZO and then sent him to PKT.
And this is being done to a man who has a ruling from the ECHR (European Court of Human Rights) stating that he is innocent and must be released. “What kind of monsters are these?” you may ask. Yes. Exactly that kind. Shameless, inhuman people. They revel in their impunity and in their ability to commit lawless acts. I hope that today Putin and his ghouls will drink champagne and snicker: let everyone know, we can do this too.