“I was deliberately stuffed away. Where it is difficult with information "

The first publication of the convicted oppositionist Andrei Pivovarov from the infamous colony No. 7 in Segezh

The former director of Open Russia, convicted by 4 years of colony, Andrei Pivovarov, not so long ago, was found after a long stage from the pre -trial detention center. Today, the place of his stay is known to torture in relation to the prisoners of the correctional colony No. 7 in the Karelian city of Segezha.

As soon as Pivovarov was transferred to IK-7, the administration of the institution immediately sent him to a chamber-type premises (PKT) until April 30. Earlier, neither lawyers nor relatives knew where the convicted politician was located. More recently, the mail began to arrive. The New Gazeta Europe sent him a letter with questions almost two months ago and, frankly, given all the circumstances and strong operational support of the Pivovarov case, we did not expect an answer. But today, Andrei, through his comrades -in -arms and head of his election headquarters in the last elections to the State Duma, Tatyana Usmanova sent us his first letter. In it, he talks about life in new realities, his thoughts and that he helps him not to go crazy. This is his first publication after the stage.

Certificate of Novaya Gazeta Europe:
Andrei Pivovarov is the former Executive Director of the Open Russia movement Mikhail Khodorkovsky, whose legal entities were declared the Prosecutor General of Russia with an “unwanted organization”. On May 31, 2021, Pivovarov was removed from the flight of St. Petersburg-Varsava. For the sake of this, the FSB stopped the plane right on the runway. The case against the politician was investigated in the Krasnodar Territory. On July 15, 2022, the Krasnodar court sentenced Pivovarov to the four years of the colony of general regime under the article on the implementation of the activities of an “unwanted” organization (although Pivovarov was in the Russian public organization, and not in the legal entity registered in London).

Pivovarov himself associated his criminal prosecution with the elections to the State Duma, which took place in Russia in the fall of 2021. From the pre -trial detention center, the opposition was running on the lists of Yabloko to the State Duma, but was not elected.

International human rights organizations called on the UN to influence the Russian authorities in order to achieve the liberation of Andrei Pivovarov. The Memorial human rights center (today was liquidated by the authorities of the Russian Federation and was recognized as a foreign agent) recognized Pivovarov as political prisoner.

For almost two years in prison, Andrei Pivovarov had only one date with his mother for an hour and a half and several calls.

At the end of 2022, Pivovarov was transferred from pre-trial detention center-1 in Krasnodar. A few days later, they brought it to the transit point at IK-2 in the village of Dvobratsky of the Krasnodar Territory, after which the location of Pivovarov for a long time was unknown. And only at the end of February 2023 did relatives and associates learned that he was in the sad-known colony No. 7 in Segezh.

In the colony, the first Ildar Dadin, convicted in Russia, was serving the first conclusion in Russia. He reported torture in a correctional institution. The head of the colony was then Sergey Kossiev. In 2018, criminal cases were initiated against him and his deputy Anatoly Louist, but they did not say about the use of torture. Kossieva and Louist were accused of extorting money from prisoners under the pretext of repairing premises. The verdict against Kossiev entered into force in March 2019. He was sentenced to 2.5 years in colony of general regime. The second defendant-his ex-deputy Anatoly Louist-was given 3 years in colony. Both Kossiev and Luist were released ahead of schedule.

Andrey Pivovarov - "Novaya Gazeta Europe"

Excuse me, if my answers seem outdated - I tried to send them quickly. For some reason, my other letters reached, employees assure that all letters go on time. Well, we will write off the elective irresponsibility of the Russian Post and try again.

- What do you live today where you are?

- My present life is hard to call a rich one. The main classes are correspondence and reading, there is nothing more to do here. As you can see on the delay in my answer, the correspondence is difficult. The system of "electronic" letters is especially striking. I can write through the service zonatelecom. This letter will be printed in Tula and send here the same Russian post. On average, these are the same 2 weeks as with paper letters. Why they, as in other IRs and pre -trial detention centers, cannot be printed here on the spot - a riddle. But I am still very happy even of such a “sustained” connection.

Information hunger is probably one of the most unpleasant problems. There are no other sources of communication here other than correspondence. The amazing radio station "Taxi FM" is constantly playing, where there are not only news, but also presenters. And the repertoire consists of a set of zero years, which is repeated from day to day.

The feeling that someone had kept his playlist in the old Winamp and made a radio out of it. Employees say that there are no other stations in Segezh, I cannot check it.

The first month, when the correspondence was not and did not appear a lawyer, was difficult. Complete isolation from the outside world and the same days created the feeling that I was anywhere else. And it’s not very clear what year is now: the 2023rd or 2010, and maybe the last century, and from the achievements of civilization, I have only the eyes of video cameras that follow my every action. I live with the support of loved ones, friends, vigor in the spirit, even despite the fact that the conditions have worsened much. I know that there are many people who are now much worse.

And for himself he decided to perceive what is happening as a training - a test that we must overcome. True, if ordinary prisoners pass it at the basic level, I was immediately turned on increased. But nothing, we break through.

- How did the stage go?

- The total trip took about a month, drove five regions. Sometimes such a constant change caused inconvenience, and the staging conditions are worse than the “stationary”, but after more than a year and a half in one place - this was in any case an event. What struck the most - this is the final point. When he went from Krasnodar, he was sure that I was going to Petersburg. By law, the convict must serve his sentence either at the place of the crime (I have a formally Krasnodar), or at the place of residence - Petersburg. And it became a great surprise when on December 31 - on New Year's Eve - I learned that I was heading for a sentence to Karelia. Such a New Year's surprise from the FSIN.

And so - during this month it was possible to "see" many cities, to chat with people. People in the hundred thousandth city of Michurinsk of the Tambov region and Petersburgers are very similar views and an assessment of what is happening. There is no “deep” people that does not understand anything and believes the words from the TV. Even in the absence of some alternative (and often ordinary) sources of information, people still do not live in vacuum, communicate with their family and cellmates, and it is difficult to deceive them.

When you go, you try to communicate with the fellow travelers, their stories are more and more sad. The New Year was celebrated with a guy with the nickname "Six hundredth" - he has more than 600 thefts in 1.5 years.

Very young, 23–24 years old, opened cars, removed details, stole in stores. Proudly said that the record -holder of the region in the number of episodes.

A pleasant girl of twenty years old was traveling in the car. Raspberry hair, hipster glasses. As if she had just left the fashionable coffee shop. At the same time, she has the 105th history (murder). She quarreled with her friend and decided to complete the disagreement with an ax.

There was a contractor, who was on the front line from the very beginning. After four months, I received a short -term vacation. He went to the Crimea and before the return decided to indulge in drugs - he went to look for a “bookmark”. Instead of the part, they sent to IR. Now philosophizing: is it karma or providence?

There were several quite successful entrepreneurs whose business liked competitors in uniform. The practice of resolving issues through 159 Articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (fraud) has already become commonplace. How “economic” jokes ( convicts on economic articles - approx. Ed. ): If your business partner does not have a criminal record for the 159th, something with its entrepreneurial activity is not so.

I also felt the difference between one region and another. Somewhere, even chess is seized with you, but they leave razor machines. And somewhere they are not afraid of chess, but they will try to open the newly issued drypack. Where the attitude towards the prisoners is more humane, and they behave calmer. There are no nerves, conflicts. In the same place where the nuts are twisted, people are more clogged, but this does not bring to good.

Mutual respect, I think, is the main recipe for normal existence. I have no statistics at hand (and in general nothing but a handle and paper), but I will assume that the number of relapses in regions considered strictly regime is not better than others.

- What happened after the stage?

- I arrived in Petrozavodsk on January 19. I immediately felt that here the climate is special, frosty. I have not seen such a detailed search and thoroughly followed the instructions. Already in a pre -trial detention center you feel that the daily routine has been built into the absolute and retreat from it for a minute is perceived by a disaster and formed by a report. For the whole time that I spent behind bars, I did not have a single penalty, and then on January 23 I received the first schizo. Then, already in the colony, he began to write explanations for new reports.

“He kept medicines with him,” “took off the jacket during charging,” “I did not clean the camera well enough.” Deviation from the daily routine or norms can be found in the simplest action, if such a task is worth it.

The system as a whole is aimed at suppressing a person, and if, according to someone, it is a danger (I suppose, they relate to all political), then they also try to isolate it. Similarly, they act with people who "enjoy authority among convicts." It is they who are full of schizo, PCT and susa ( a chamber type and strict conditions of the content - approx. ). Current norms make it easy to make a violator out of a person, as, however, in rare cases - and vice versa. The former official of the Ministry of Defense, a defendant of the corruption scandal of Yevgeny Vasiliev, went out at the parole, in my opinion, 34 days after arriving in the colony?

When I went to the IR, I made plans that I would go to the second higher, I would get to work (so that time passed faster), I even came up with several ideas on how to earn incentives, but now I can even forget about dates. This is probably the most painful, we had plans for this.

Once a year ago, he discussed with one respected and experienced prisoner amendments to the new PVR. He then said: “Andrey, the main thing is to fight for is that the daily routine is not obligatory, but a recommendatory one.” It seemed strange to me then, nevertheless, the under investigation of rights is less and the routine is less important. And now, watching how this tool is used, I understand that an experienced prisoner was absolutely right. For example: what is more important? So that it was clean in the cell or that at 17:09 a person did not have a broom in his hands?

- impressions of the colony?

- It is difficult for me to answer this question, because in essence I did not get into the colony itself. So far, my living space is limited to the territory of a schizo/pkt and campaigns in an administrative building to meet with a lawyer. When other convicts meet along the way, they are forced to turn away. They say this is a standard practice for those who are serving arrest.

Judging by a fairly quick reaction, and even according to the quarantine coming from the quarantine, the report and presentation, the regime inside is quite strict. It is funny that the first days I listened with surprise how people torn the throats and learned to say: “Hello, citizen boss,” and after a few days, exhausting from boredom, he would have halved with them. Shiso motivates at least something to the lesson. They contain me, like other neighbors, alone. Due to the loud radio and the attendants, communication between us is practically excluded.

Judging by how some of the neighbors refuse to charge and paintings in duty journals, I can assume that someone adheres to concepts. Such people are not easy here.

- What is your daily routine, life?

- According to the saturation of the day, I really envy Solzhenitsynsky Ivan Denisovich. Of the events, perhaps, only meals three times a day and a walk. According to the schedule of the day, of course, there are charging, cleaning and several times a day a legal lecture (this is when a sad voice recorded on a film reads the rules of the internal routine). Light interspersed during the day is a personal time during which you can get letters, paper and a pen. But here you need to make a choice: write or, for example, push up.

And the rest of the time you can only read books, which is mostly doing. True, it is impossible to order them from the will, only to get from the library, so you can forget about new products so far. And if in time, then my daily routine looks like this for the past couple of months:

5:00 - rise, the bed is fastened and does not fall until 21:00.

5:45 - Mandatory charging for the reproduct.

6:00 - breakfast.

6: 15-6: 35 - personal time, you can get written accessories.

8:00 - bypass and medical examination.

9: 00–9: 20 - again personal time, after which until 10:30 , writing correspondence, - this is exactly what I write these lines.

11:00 - lunch. I am sure that in the will there are many who have not yet had breakfast at that time, hello to them!

In the interval between 12:50 and 15:20 - an hour and a half walk.

Large intervals between events are filled out either by listening to the PVR or radio.

15:40 - another 20 minutes of personal time (I just continue to answer questions). Then “Taxi FM”.

16:30 - dinner. Then cleaning the camera, twice another 15 minutes of personal time.

20:00 - another check.

21:00 - hinges.

A rich day came to an end.

Separately, it is probably worth it to dwell on everyday life. My set of personal items is extensive: toothbrush, toothpaste and soap. And that's it. The rest is either impossible or standard, like clothes. Twice a month you can buy at a local store for 5000 rubles. But you can get this food strictly while eating. He became a real master in the preparation of the purchase budget. I am balancing between the task at least a little to vitaminize (onions and garlic-everything that is affordable) and please yourself with something pleasant. That's something like this and spend the last 2 months in my eight -meter kingdom.

Even in a pre -trial detention center, he read with interest the book of Eve Merkacheva “A City of Doomed” about life in the colonies for life convicts. In my opinion, their daily routine is not particularly different from the pktshny, although they are laid for a TV. Such luxury is not provided here.

- Is there time for books and letters?

- With letters, as I wrote above, it is not easy, but I try to fit and answer everyone who writes. And with books it’s easier. This is the main leisure. According to the regulations in the cell there may be two. I can’t say that the choice is good, but from a local catalog of 3.5 thousand I outlined about a hundred for himself. A fairly large number of autobiographies surprised: Donald Trump, Richard Branson, Sam Walton. Well, of course, the presence of the “prison and will” of the MBH ( Mikhail Khodorkovsky - approx. Corny ) was pleased. I think to order, see if there is an autograph there. Here are still those who remember the author.

- What have you read over the past year and a half? What are you reading now?

-It is difficult to highlight something from the latter, and before the New Year, when there was still the opportunity to receive books from the will in the pre-trial detention center, there was a lot of interesting things (now the weight and number of parcels are limited, books or something else should not be sent to me in any case). Elena Bonnare made a strong impression “daughter-mother”. I was sent to me by an unfamiliar person (if you read these lines, many thanks again!), And at first I did not pay much attention, then I took to look through it - and the book hooked. Bonner talks about his life, relatives, but most of the book is given to childhood and adolescence, which took place in Leningrad and Moscow of the 1930s. And these are very vivid sensations: she describes the places and streets on which I walked, people, her children's and school experiences.

But you read and understand that in one or two years the 1937 will come, and this whole life will end, and almost all these pleasant people, its relatives, will not become.

Of the novelties, Anna Starobinets read with interest with interest. Maybe a little tightened, but a good plot, the author organically intertwined mysticism, history and a very recent past.

Since student times, he was fond of Welsh, then somehow abandoned, and then he asked to send-and found that he had missed several of his books. This is the author, which is clearly not suitable for everyone, but if you remember who Mark Benton and Begby are, then the “living on the living” and “jeans of dead shopping” is that it is not worth missing. Over the years, Welsh is only gaining momentum.

It is a pity, I can’t get new books now, but there is an occasion to return to the classic, there is enough it. Like I have time.

- What helps to hold on?

-The first month, when there was no connection with the outside world (for some reason the first letters sent for some reason got as much as four weeks, which, even by local standards, was difficult), was difficult. You know nothing about what is happening outside the walls, about loved ones. And the days are similar to one another, a groundhog day. I invented for myself the theory that everything is already good in the wild, it’s just hiding me. Until she, however, was not justified, but in terms of the fact that everything will work out, I have no doubt, it will be so. Именно эта уверенность и остается главным внутренним движком. И, конечно, поддержка близких, друзей и просто незнакомых людей. Когда в начале марта постовой протянул через кормушку первую стопку писем, я понял, что связь есть, а значит, всё хорошо.

И когда прочел, сколько людей меня потеряли, писали об этом, поддерживали, — очень захотелось каждому сказать огромное спасибо. Очень ценю эту поддержку, даже через километры, в снежной Карелии она согревает. Thank you.

— Что занимает сейчас больше всего?

— Меня, конечно, намеренно запихнули подальше. Туда, где сложно с перепиской и вообще с информацией. Но мыслями я по-прежнему на воле. И размышлениями, переживаниями я там. Волнует происходящее с близкими, друзьями, и что в целом будет дальше. Стараюсь из небольшого объема, что удается прочесть, составить видение ситуации. За этим время летит быстрее и какие-то местные мелкие неурядицы отходят на задний план.

Понимаю, что время, в которое живем, оказалось не самым светлым, и многим оно даже кажется беспросветным. Но такое уже случалось, и не раз, в истории, и всегда это заканчивалось. Если каждый понемногу будет прикладывать усилия, чтобы рассвет наступил быстрее, всё точно сбудется. Я в это верю, как, уверен, и многие из вас.