Eva Merkacheva: How they keep someone who testified against Furgal in a pre-trial detention center

Nikolai Mistryukov, on whose testimony the accusation against Sergei Furgal is based, was diagnosed with cancer, he is losing his sight, but he is not given medicines or painkillers in the pre-trial detention center, says PMC member Eva Merkacheva

Nikolai Mistryukov is the same one who is on the same case with the governor of the Khabarovsk Territory, Furgal, and on whose testimony the prosecution is based. Yes, yes, we finally managed to see Mistryukov. Prior to that, despite the tears of his wife, who applied to the PMC, he, according to employees, refused to even show himself to human rights activists. He is alive, but not at all well. Crushed psychologically, with a severe diagnosis, he seems to have lost all hope.
Two prisoners, two conversations. And one for two criminal case. Oddities with the prisoner Nikolai Mistryukov began to happen shortly before the arrest of Sergei Furgal. They are friends, they started together as entrepreneurs, then together they began to make a political career. He was imprisoned in November last year on the same charges. But the governor was not touched, because, apparently, there was not enough direct evidence against him. And so Mistryukov gave them ... Before that, he wrote strange letters to his wife, asked for a lawyer, and then refused protection (and so many times). The wife begged members of the PMC to check whether he was alive at all. He, according to the employees of the Federal Penitentiary Service, refused to leave the cell twice, even just to appear in front of his eyes. This time everything happened exactly the same.

He doesn’t want to, we can’t drag him by force,” the employee said. - Communication with members of the PMC is a right, not an obligation.
Record it on video and show us,” I asked. - We must make sure that it is him and that he is alive and well, without injuries and wounds. The other day they wrote that he was taken out for security purposes to a safe house.
Where can it be safer than here? He was taken out, but only to the hospital. It happened twice. But we can’t show the video right now, we don’t have such a technical capability. Write requests.

...Meanwhile, State Duma deputy Ivan Sukharev arrived at the pre-trial detention center with a scheduled check (he read my article to Mistryukov). He was not allowed into the cells, referring to quarantine, and was forbidden to communicate with prisoners, referring to the fact that this is not prescribed by law. But his long communication with the leadership had an effect: Mistryukov was unexpectedly brought to us!

I changed my mind, I decided to talk to you after all, - the employees explained.

I ask the prisoner to take off his mask. Yes, it is. But how he has changed! He has aged 20 years. And what exhausted eyes.

Did you really refuse to communicate with the PMC?
Yes, but I didn't understand who you are. I was not explained. And then they came and told in detail what you do. If I had known, I would not have given up.
That is, they didn’t tell you that we came at the request of your wife, who is going crazy with fear for you?
Tell her that everything is fine (pursed his lips, his eyes watered)
Were you tortured? Beaty?
No, I'm not beaten. You can ask psychologically. The walls here are so... (next door, through the wall - FSB SU - author's note)

It's normal in the pre-trial detention center, the food is good. They just don't provide treatment. I have been diagnosed with multiple pelvic cancers. Diagnosis reconfirmed. Every day is precious. Forecasts are not given.

Were you taken out for an examination for a disease that prevented detention (by Government Decree No. 3)?
Yes. Three weeks ago, and still not familiarized with the result.

When I was taken to the oncology center, I was handcuffed there, probably because there was an appropriate attitude.

Which?
Like a test subject. Students trained on me. They performed all procedures without anesthesia. It was unbearable. (voice shaking). The back was all wet (probably from blood - author's note). If they tell me that an urgent operation is needed, I will refuse - I will not be able to endure this anymore. I did a lot for my region, paid large taxes to the budget, but, apparently, I deserved all this.
Nobody deserves to suffer. We will send a complaint to the Ministry of Health. Do they give painkillers in jail?
No. They don't give me my medicines either. I am blind in one eye, the other is also beginning to lose sight. Retinal detachment. You need a course of treatment, drugs are expensive. But they will only finally give permission for drugs, as something happens. And the wife lives in Khabarovsk until she gets to Moscow - the recipe is no longer fit for time. So I didn't get all the drugs I needed. Sharp pain is always present.
We sympathize with you very much and will write an appeal to the medical department of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia.
Thank you.
My wife told us about your strange behavior. She cited as an example the refusals of lawyers, whom you yourself asked.
Yes, I refused many times even though I asked. This happened after talking with the investigator. He assured me that a lawyer was not needed. I couldn't take it all.

Mistryukov apparently meant his testimony. We didn’t talk to him anymore - it was noticeable that a little more and the nerves would give up. And the pain was visible in the eyes, clouded and wet. A terrible disease often eats up prisoners, who begin to "eat" themselves with their own thoughts and experiences. But delaying the diagnosis, not properly treating such a prisoner, not giving painkillers and, against this background, pressing him to testify ... In theory, all this is a crime. Whether he is guilty or not, the court will decide. But in any case, how can evil be stopped by evil?

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