Russian Colony Administration Intensifies Pressure on Political Prisoner Ivan Yatskin

The administration of correctional colony No. 5, located in the city of Kemerovo, Russia, is intensifying pressure on Ukrainian political prisoner Ivan Yatskin, who hails from Crimea. This information came to light through a post by journalist and former Kremlin inmate Vladislav Yesipenko, shared on Facebook. According to Yesipenko, despite Yatskin's deteriorating health, which includes severe trophic ulcers on his legs, he has been transferred to a 'special' unit for dangerous prisoners.

Yesipenko pointed out that the Ukrainian political prisoner is forced to stand for hours in a local area, despite his illness, and is required to perform duties that include reading the internal regulations. He described this as part of a systematic moral pressure exerted by the so-called 'active' members of the unit. Staff at the penitentiary facility are also resorting to provocations, creating additional difficulties for Yatskin, who has already been in captivity for seven years.

Ivan Yatskin was detained by the occupying forces on October 16, 2019, due to his outspoken pro-Ukrainian stance. He was sentenced to 11 years in a penal colony on charges of 'treason.' According to Ukrinform, political prisoner Yatskin spent 50 days in solitary confinement in the Russian colony for an unbuttoned clothing button and for refusing to greet guards.

This situation has raised concerns among human rights defenders and the international community, who are alarmed by the conditions faced by Ukrainian political prisoners in Russia. It is known that many of them endure brutal treatment due to their political stance and active involvement in the struggle for Ukraine's rights. It is crucial for international organizations to continue monitoring the situation and providing support to political prisoners suffering from repression.

Calls for the release of Yatskin and other Ukrainian political prisoners are being made by the Ukrainian authorities and human rights organizations. They demand that Russia adhere to international norms and human rights standards, as well as ensure proper conditions of detention for all prisoners, regardless of their political views. The situation surrounding Ivan Yatskin is just one of many examples of human rights violations occurring under the conditions of Crimea's occupation and the war in eastern Ukraine.

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