The Siberian reporter was punished after complaining about poor conditions in prison

Location: Russia, Barnaul
Date: October 4, 2023

Imprisoned journalist Maria Ponomarenko from Siberia has been sent to solitary confinement as punishment for fainting and staying in bed during the day. The journalist has faced a litany of abuse and harassment from Russian authorities since her unjust detention in April 2022, Now, the Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) officers are punishing her for raising concerns about poor conditions in the penal colony. The Coalition For Women In Journalism is deeply concerned for her health and demands she is treated properly and not punished for her illness. The journalist, sentenced to six years in prison for a Telegram post, should be released immediately.

On October 4, Russian prison authorities in the Shipunovo prison colony imposed 15-day solitary confinement on journalist Maria Ponomarenko after she fainted. She was denied any medical assistance following her collapse. As a result, she received an additional 10-day punishment for refusing to comply with the warden's request to get out of bed despite her severe lower back pain.

In February 2023, Ponomarenko received a six-year sentence for “discrediting” the army by publishing a post on Telegram about the Russian military’s bombing of a drama theater in Mariupol, Ukraine. International human rights organizations and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights have condemned Ponomarenko's sentence.

Ponomarenko was transferred to Shipunovo prison colony on September 6. Her colleagues believe she faced escalating pressure after complaining to prison staff about unsanitary conditions, low-quality products, and a shortage of essential household items.

Lawyer with Russian human rights organization OVD-info Eva Levenberg tells CFWIJ how Russian penal facilities typically handle accusations of poor conditions. “Each head of a correctional institution is interested in not drawing undue attention to the work of the institution and its employees,” she explains. 

“The flow of complaints and widespread discussion of conditions of detention in the media have a double effect: on the one hand, it acts as a deterrent against abuse of power by the management of the correctional institution, on the other – leads to punishment to the prisoner.”

She notes that Ponamenko’s lawyer has said her mistreatment is not specific to her, but indicative of “the standard harsh reality” of life in a Russian prison.

Ponomarenko has suffered repeatedly at the hands of Russian authorities since she was first detained. In July 2022, she wrote an open letter disclosing that she had been tortured in a psychiatric hospital in Siberia while in pre-trial detention. She was forcibly given unknown substances and has no recollection of three days while being drugged during a psychiatric evaluation. She described being held down by officers while a nurse injected her against her will.

Although Ponomarenko was placed under house arrest in November 2022, she was returned to the pre-trial detention center in January 2023 due to a violation of the preventive measure. She had to leave her home due to violence from her ex-husband, who does not support her views. 

Lawyer from OVD-info Eva Levenberg tells CFWIJ that Shipunovo prison, where Ponomarenko is being held, offers “far from resort conditions.” She explains it is known for being dilapidated and having issues with cleanliness, worse than other prisons closer to more populated regions. This distance also affects its ability to provide medical care for its prisoners.

“One often has to wait longer for medical help than regulations require,“ explains Levenberg. “Maria Ponomarenko waited 5 months for a meeting with a psychotherapist to correct her treatment, and the doctor was able to allocate only 30 minutes to Maria due to heavy workload.”

The mistreatment and denial of medical care Ponomarenko has endured are flagrant violations of her fundamental human rights. Punishing her for her fainting episode, which occurred after she voiced her concerns about prison conditions, appears to be a targeted and retaliatory act. The Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) staff in Shipunovo must be held accountable for their abuse of power, and Ponomarenko must receive immediate and comprehensive medical attention.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism vehemently condemns the mistreatment of the journalist, who should never have been imprisoned in the first place. We demand swift answers from Russia’s FSIN and urgently call for her unconditional release.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.

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