Vera Vasilieva: On the cases of Markin, Maryin and Puzanov

28 – 30 January 2025

by Vera Vasilieva

Source: Facebook

28 January 2025

The Prosecutor’s Response to Aleksandr Markin’s Lawyer

As I wrote, Nail Salkaev, the lawyer representing Aleksandr Markin who was convicted in a fabricated criminal case, appealed to the Dubravnaya Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Mordovia over his client’s unlawful detention in solitary confinement. At the time of writing, Aleksandr has spent about one month continuously in solitary confinement, 45 days in total.

Nail Salkaev received an answer yesterday – unfortunately, as is most often the case, it was a boilerplate response: there were no violations at the penal colony, with one exception. According to the supervising agency, Markin was not sent to Prison Medical Facility No. 3 in Mordovia in a timely manner.

In my opinion, this is not at all what Aleksandr and his defense are working towards. Since he had already been in the hospital in Barashevo twice and didn’t get the desired results, his lawyer had raised the possibility of the defense inviting a civilian doctor with the relevant specialty. Moreover, as I understand it, what concerns the defense most at the moment isn’t even the chronic leg problems Aleksandr suffers from as a result of beatings at Penal Colony No. 6 where he was formerly held (although this must certainly also be a concern). It’s the fact that someone with lung disease is being forced to undertake work that they cannot do because of their health.

A decision will be made later regarding further legal actions in response to the letter.

Source: Source: Facebook, 28 January 2025

28 January 2025

Such bitter news! Human rights activist Sergei Maryin from Saransk, who once visited Aleksandr Markin as a member of the Public Monitoring Commission of Mordovia, who recommended the lawyer Nail Salkaev to him and has been assisting him for over five years, has himself been taken to court on a charge of “discrediting” the Russian army. I send my support to Sergei Maryin!

Quote:

Sergei Maryin writes:

On 28 January 2025, court proceedings in my criminal case under Article 280.3, Part 1, of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation began in Leninsky district court of Saransk, in the Republic of Mordovia. 

They confirmed my identity. They mentioned my family. I said that my son has a significant disability, and that he was awarded a medal “For Services to the Fatherland.”

Then the issue regarding the court-appointed lawyer was discussed. I refused the court-appointed lawyer, but the court nonetheless appointed one. So there will be two lawyers. I understand this as a convenience for the judge. Should they choose pre-trial conditions for me, the lawyer will always be nearby. But for now I have no pre-trial conditions. It’s surprising, but during the preliminary investigation, I appealed two of three orders by the investigator regarding the selection of travel restrictions and requirements for compliant behavior as pre-trial conditions. The result was that the court found the investigator’s orders unreasonable. He was so surprised that he did not bring up pre-trial conditions again when presenting the charges. 

However, the court did not grant my petition to allow another person to participate in the criminal proceedings as a defense counsel alongside the lawyer. The prosecutor insisted that such a person would lack legal training, and on those grounds that they would not be able to provide a high level of legal assistance. Well, I’ll be filing a complaint immediately.

The next session will be held on 4 February 2025, at 9:30 am.

Source: Facebook, 28 January 2025

End quote

Source: Facebook, 28 January 2025

30 January 2025

A letter has arrived with a New Year’s card from Igor Puzanov. By the way, the card is the first I have received from behind bars for this New Year. Alas, the mail service works slowly. Igor is still indefinitely confined in a psychiatric hospital in Sychyovka in Smolensk region. This is after nine years of multiple transfers between penal colonies, on charges of an attempted assassination of Putin using a toy helicopter and other crimes. A few lines in my previous letter, containing the address of a State Duma deputy that Igor asked for, had been carefully blacked out by the hospital censors. (Apparently psychiatric patients aren’t allowed to write to him.) 

Igor is sorely missing everyday communication and support. You can write to him here: 

215280, Смоленская область, Сычевка, ул. Карла Маркса, д. 71, Смоленская ПБ СТИН, Пузанов Игорь Фридрихович, 1975 г. р.

In English translation: Igor Fridrikhovich Puzanov, born 1975, Smolensk Psychiatric hospital (Inpatient) of specialized type with intensive supervision, 71 Karl Marx Street, Sychevka, Smolensky region, 215280 Russia. Sychyovka, Karl Marx Street, Building 71, Smolensk Psychiatric Hospital STIN,

Source: Facebook, 30 January 2025

Translated by Nina dePalma