Russia is increasingly starting to resemble Stalin-era times with the Gulag, when the very intention to leave the country is already treated as a sign of “extremism,” and even the public use of peaceful Western brands can be framed as a crime. On top of that, people are not only deprived of their freedom — they are also subjected to torture-like conditions, including cold, and requests for the only available way to keep warm — hot water — are ignored. This strongly suggests deliberate infliction of suffering, while complaints to higher authorities bring no results. More details are in the report below:

The outlet It’s My City reported that, before another hearing in his case on “displaying extremist symbols,” human rights defender Alexey Sokolov managed to shout that he is being held in torture-like conditions in a pre-trial detention center. According to him, he has filed about 30 complaints. Supporters say Sokolov is being kept in a punishment cell where boiling water is not provided and the room is poorly heated, making it especially cold during frosts.

At the hearing, the prosecutor read out a letter from the Federal Penitentiary Service Directorate (GUFSIN), prepared by an operative officer. The document states that the officer studied the website of the Norwegian Helsinki Group and concluded that the organization’s activities are directed against Russia. The officer also noted that searching “Sokolov” on Telegram brings up publications by media outlets designated as “foreign agents.” Investigators claim that such coverage is aimed at “destabilizing the public situation in the country.”

The prosecution also presented materials about Sokolov obtaining a visa to Norway, interpreting this as a sign of cooperation with an “undesirable organization,” as well as the contents of his private correspondence. A separate volume of the case includes an expert report confirming that a logo published by Sokolov belongs to Meta (designated extremist and banned in Russia), as well as data on transfers from the Norwegian Helsinki Committee. According to the investigation, the amounts in different years ranged from 884,000 to 1.2 million rubles.

In October 2023, Sokolov became the first person in Russia to be arrested and put on trial for “displaying extremist symbols” for publishing the Facebook logo on the website of the “Human Rights Defenders of the Urals” project. His colleagues believe the criminal prosecution is retaliation for his publications about torture in penal colonies.