Wife of political prisoner from Kirov reports his torture in prison
Maria Rose reported that her husband, Richard, is currently in a penal colony in Irbit, Sverdlovsk Oblast, serving a term for spreading fake information about the army and calling for terrorism.
In his most recent letter, Richard wrote that in late April, he had been placed in a cell with rubber walls. This was in response to his outrage over being deprived of his drawings, essays, stories, and poems. Richard asserted that he was naked and unable to sit or lie down in the cell.
"During all this time, he did not eat to avoid defecation, as there was no toilet in the cell, and he drank sparingly because the water had a strange taste. He was also injected with an unknown substance, which has led to high blood pressure, headaches, and insomnia," wrote Maria Rose.
Maria added that Richard was punished with another six nights in that cell after he went to bed outside the scheduled time. In the penal colony, he started experiencing health problems, such as kidney disease and loss of hearing in one ear. Maria Rose’s post was noticed by the media outlet 'Idel.Realii.'
In September 2023, Richard Rose was sentenced to eight years for anti-war posts. He reported being tortured in the Kirov office of the Federal Security Service (FSB) and highlighted issues with receiving correspondence. Maria Rose was also accused of spreading fake information about the army and calling for extremism, but she managed to leave the country with her young son.