"With prisoner greetings from Rostov ..."

Radio Liberty publishes fragments of the prison correspondence of Oleg Sentsov and Alexander Kolchenko

Ukrainian film director Oleg Sentsov and the Crimean anarchist Alexander Kolchenko , sentenced, respectively, to the 20 years of the colony on charges of preparing terrorist attacks and the creation of a terrorist organization in Crimea , expect an appeal meeting of the Supreme Court of Russia. Convicted guilts do not admit, consider the sentence politically motivated and intend to defend their innocence.

Both of them are found in SIZO-4 in Rostov-on-Don, where, obviously, they will remain until the appeal court session. The chairman of the Public Supervisory Commission of the Rostov Region Leonid Petrashis visited Sentsov and Kolchenko a week ago and said that they "in a vigorous mood and, apparently, do not believe that they will serve the entire court appointed by the court." Sentsov’s lawyer Dmitry Dinze indicates the injustice of a court decision, the procedural violations and the inconsistency of the actual data on the information that are given in the decision of the judge.

“The appeal has long been prepared, registered, the case has been formed and sent to the Supreme Court,” Dmitry Dinze said in an interview with Radio Radio. - The Supreme Court appointed the court session on November 24. We achieve the unequivocal excuse of Sentsov and Kolchenko, and no confessions of guilt or transactions with someone is talking about something. Only an excuse, because there is not a single evidence in relation to my client, for example, at all, Sentsov is completely innocent. From the appeal, we are waiting for the withdrawal of the sentence, the direction of the case to a new trial and in the process of the new trial we want, accordingly, to receive an acquittal, this is the maximum task. The task of the minimum is at least reduce the sentence of the punishment that Sentsov was appointed.

- What makes you think that the decision of a higher instance may differ from the court sentence?

- The military courts in Russia differ from civilian, not to mention the Supreme Court. In the Supreme Court, more thinking people are sitting, and not officials acting at the order of the special services, still more independence in decision-making.

- Do you think that the judges of the Supreme Court can get courage, civic responsibility and professionalism to reconsider the verdict?

“I, at least, I hope this.” And what will happen will show practice.

- Is there a probability that Sentsov and Kolchenko will be transferred to Moscow to participate in court hearings?

-Now they are in Rostov-on-Don in the Ephesians. They can be translated into a regular pre -trial detention center, it depends, for example, on whether the FSB pre -trial detention center has the prisoner to take the prisoner to a video conference. Sometimes this possibility is not due to the closedness of the institution, in which case the prisoner is transferred to a regular insulator. We were unequivocally made to understand that no one is going to take out to Moscow for hearings in the Supreme Court of Oleg.

Oleg's condition is normal. The last time I saw him two weeks ago, he is optimistic. Constantly engaged in some kind of creativity, constantly in his head “rides” creative ideas, embodies them in life on paper. As for this whole story, the main character of which Oleg was, he is going to, as far as I know, like a film to make, ”said Radio Liberty Dmitry Dinze.

Every Sunday, Rostov civilian activists bring programs to Sentsov and Kolchenko: quick cooking, fruits, vegetables, nuts and dried fruits, sausages, sweets, chocolate. Sometimes prisoners are asked to give them paper for letters. Recently, Sentsov asked for him to subscribe to the New Times weekly. He is constantly associated with a cousin, Moscow journalist Natalya Kaplan , they are not allowed to meet with the employees of the Ukrainian Consular Service, but from the consulate, which is located near the pre -trial detention center, is sometimes also brought to the programs.

There are many letters to the Ukrainian film director. Sentsov is mainly written by Ukrainians from around the world (there are letters from Brazil, Switzerland, Germany) and Russian civil activists. Sentsov willingly replies: it is impossible to write about what is happening in a pre -trial detention center, so he shares his thoughts about what is happening in Russia and Ukraine. Often his answers are much more cheerful than letters from the will.

“ Separate thanks to those people who wear me-I don’t even know who it is, always different surnames. Thank you in general, guys! Gearings and letters for the prisoner are the most necessary thing. It is very joyful that in Rostov and in general there are people who do something in the struggle for the truth. Although this is more reminiscent of the Tarakanov with slippers, we don’t have to go to the end. As you say, a person involved in art would still be that the good will defeat the story, that all the authoritarian modes end in the same way, but the most amazing - as the collapse of the next Führer, reacted to the majority of the people who have recently cracked at the seams from the adoration of their tsar. I have no doubt happy for this situation for Russia and Ukraine . "

" I, too, before the revolution of dignity, was indifferent to politics, however, as now. Sometimes the moment comes in your life and in the life of your country when you can’t stay away. So I haven’t stayed. You are right, and now I will do it and let it be, what will happen ."

Oleg Sentsov and Alexander Kolchenko are performing the anthem of Ukraine during the announcement of the sentence

" I can say that the prison has benefited me to, so do not swear at those who talk about her positive experience for the creators and not only. The imprisonment did not somehow unfold my course of thought and life, but, on the contrary, made it possible to take a big step on the path of spiritual development, according to which I already walked before. So I did not regret anything, but, of course, with a stubborn faith in life. It became clear and clear for myself that I will do after.

“We are waiting, if possible, buns and croacans, the“ golden spike ”is quite. Tasty bread, dry breakfasts, such as balls, pillows, flakes.“ Nestle ” - steers! ”.

“Tell Nibiuha (Savchenko. - RS), if there will be such an opportunity, orally or in writing. But I don’t think that she is bending there, I’m sure that she is holding out well done. Tell her that we are with her. Navalny, nor Alexei, nor his brother Oleg’s brother, I don’t know. Although they are in the course of their process. Pass on Oleg also prisoner from Rostov.”

Every morning I seem to stand my back against the wall, and all my past remains behind her, and my whole future, it is today's real, is limited only by this day

"There is a well -known way: you close your eyes and imagine what you would like to do in this life, if you did not need to earn money. Then you open your eyes and begin to do it with all your strength. If you surrender to your new occupation completely, sooner or later you will succeed, no matter what you do. You will earn money, and most importantly, you will be happy in this life. I have changed my life and very cool, if I have a question on the way, I will only say it for myself.

"I have nothing to write about myself. Here all days are similar to each other, but I don’t be sad, but rather, on the contrary, time flies so faster. But I still try to spend it really."

Alexander Kolchenko reads a lot and actively monitors the news that he asks to talk about in letters. Recently, he has been written a little more than Sentsov, Kolchenko is supported by activists of the anarchist movement, discussing in correspondence, including issues of political theory. Kolchenko’s mother, a modest and quiet woman who does not intend to leave Crimea, took part in the international action in support of the “Crimean prisoners” and was photographed with a poster opposite the very memorial “Eternal Flame”, which was supposedly planned by her son. According to the lawyer Kolchenko, Svetlana Sidorkina, who evaluates the prospects of the appeal meeting, "there is no hopes for justice."

Here are excerpts from the prison correspondence of Alexander Kolchenko:

“To be honest, to parliamentarism, political parties and elections is a skeptical attitude. I never believed in the election promises of politicians. If you want real changes, you need to participate in politics every day, without relying on any authorities, or parties - on those issues that are important for you and other people, at the place of residence and study. Elections, in my opinion, create the illusion that they create the illusion that they create the illusion that they create the illusion that they create the illusion that they create the illusion Once every few years, you can bring to someone a solution to all issues. "

It is very surprised, outraged, scared that there are a lot of people who believe in the “rotting West” and Russia, “rising from the knees”

"In an interview with Oleg, he shared that I want to ask my comrades to send me the" Adventures of Chipollino. "He was surprised:" Why? We have been living in a fairy tale. "All the last time I read almost nothing. But during the stage on the assembly, one person talked about horrors in a special regime in one of the regions. There were 20 people on the assembly, and it did not seem to me that they were especially impressionable and sentimental. Nevertheless, when I looked at the faces of other people, almost half of them, like me, was wet, everyone tried to restrain himself to rest Cry very terrible things. "

"And I am very surprised, outraged, scares that there are a lot of people who believe in the" rotting West "and Russia" rising from the knees ". At the same time, in the same" rotting West "prisoners can choose a diet of five menu, you can freely move around the premises - a library, a gym, etc. For prisoners, the conditions of detention are better than ours. Travel with them. "

"All this censorship, a really strange thing. When I move to the camp or back, I will definitely talk about all this Shiza."

“For a day I can’t force myself to start reading. I took in the 1984 and“ Cross Courtyard ”library. I recently read the“ Gulliver’s journey. ”A very instructive book, even for adults. Allows you to look at the outdated prejudices, dogmas, laws, etc., also read Dickens Roman,“ Great Hopes. ”

"I look, mainly, Euronyus and RBC. Although I do not disdain with other channels. I watched" jelly "on extreme Sunday. I learn something from letters."

"It is obvious to me, especially after the fact that I saw and heard that prisons do not contribute to the correction of personality. Rather, on the contrary. Many people languish in dungeons in" funeral "matters. And often those who must guard them are by no means angels in white gloves."

"The impression arose that during the factory of our case, the case of the ABTO was walked (in 2012, members of the" autonomous combat terrorist organization "were sentenced to different terms of conclusion on charges of terrorism, illegal production of weapons and explosives, destroying someone else's property. - RS). A striking resemblance! banditry, and get acquainted with each other already along the way. "

After the winter of 2013-2014, I began to perceive the Ukrainian anthem in a different way, with the same trepidation as the “International”, “Warsaw”, “Power in a Union”, “Solidarity Forever”, “Which Side Are You?”, “Bella, Ciao!”, “Bold, comrades, comrades, in the leg!” And another

"I still adhere to anarcho-communicative views. Although I am interested in theoretical concepts and the experience of the struggle of the left-wing Social Revolutionaries and Socialist-Revolutionaries, and Syndicals, Communists of the Workers' Councils, Autonomists, Opeanists, Left Nationalists, etc. From the beginning of an armed conflict in the east of Ukraine, I occupied an anti-war international position and, unlike other some of the other so, so. Unfortunately, it was difficult to form a more constructive position called the “left”, therefore it was strange for me to read that some of the so-called comrades allow me to write about me on the Internet: they say if I were not closed, I would now fight the ATO in one of the volunteers. These, the so-called comrades, I do not try to flirt with the Ukrainian authorities or on the patriotic feelings of my compatriots, just after the winter of 2013-2014 I began to perceive the Ukrainian anthem, with the same trepidation as the “International”, “Warsaw”, “Power in A Union”, “Solidarity Forever”, “Which Side are you on The ritual that does not carry any semantic load.

Human rights organizations are considered Oleg Sentsov and Alexander Kolchenko by political prisoners. In different countries of the world, campaigns continue to support them.

Fragments of the correspondence of Oleg Sentsov and Alexander Kolchenko - with the permission of the authors - Radio Liberty were provided with the coordinator of the Rosuznik project in the Rostov region Yana Goncharova