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Alexey Gorinov, the former municipal deputy of Moscow’s Krasnoselsky district, has been released from the SHIZO (punishment isolation cell) at IK-10 Penal Colony in Rubtsovsk (Altai Krai, a region in southern Siberia) after spending two months there, and has now been transferred to a PKT cell (a cell-type facility) for the same period. Gorinov’s lawyer, Denis Shedov, reported this to OVD-Info.

According to him, there are “no guarantees” that the two-month placement in the PKT won’t be extended, since by law, a prisoner can be kept there for up to six months.

“It’s warmer there than in the SHIZO, and they also give out a mattress, pillow and blanket. Alexey also noted that since being released from the SHIZO, he feels better,” Shedov said.

At the same time, confinement in a PKT cell involves many restrictions: less time allowed for walks, fewer visits permitted, a limit on purchases and phone calls with relatives, and a reduced number of parcels.

As Denis Shedov explained, prosecutors visited Gorinov twice. The former deputy also had a video call with the human rights ombudsman of Altai Krai.

In particular, Gorinov spoke of problems with receiving letters and raised other complaints. Both the prosecutor and the ombudsman “assured that the complaints would be considered and explained that the problems with mail were of a ‘technical nature’ and not due to imposed restrictions,” Shedov added.

“Alexey was visited by local PMC (Public Monitoring Commission) members. He also started undergoing medical tests and his health condition is now being monitored. We can see that the authorised agencies and officials have responded to the complaints and are treating the situation more seriously. This is an important step towards normalising the attitude towards Alexey in the new colony. Another positive factor is that with the cold season approaching he is now in a warmer room, where he feels better and where his health is receiving at least some attention. <…> That said, the PKT conditions are very harsh: there are many restrictions which are difficult to endure. We continue to seek Alexey’s transfer to normal detention conditions in the new colony, as well as his complete release,” the lawyer said.

After being transferred to Penal Colony No. 10 in Rubtsovsk, Gorinov was placed in the SHIZO isolation cell immediately, and his stay there was repeatedly extended. He said that the FSIN (Federal Penitentiary Service) transferred him to Altai Krai in order to “wear [him] out, effectively deprive [him] of opportunities to see relatives and loved ones, and obstruct communication with lawyers.”

The former deputy described the conditions in the isolation cell as “torturous.” According to Gorinov, he was kept in a filthy cell measuring 8.5 square metres, with a wooden floor full of holes. The walls were damp, the washbasin covered in rust, and the toilet was just a pipe set in the concrete floor. He received mail irregularly, while guards took away all his personal belongings, including medicines and legal documents needed to appeal his sentence.

His time in isolation was extended three times on the pretext that he allegedly failed to keep his hands behind his back in the presence of the guards.

“The photo presented from the cell on 12.08.2025, supposedly showing me with my hands in front of me, is clearly doctored: my hands are twisted in an unnatural way,” the prisoner said. He sent complaints to the prosecutor’s office asking for an investigation and for all disciplinary punishments to be cancelled.

During a prison transfer in May, Gorinov was found to have tuberculosis lesions and was hospitalised. However, he did not receive any treatment there. Gorinov had previously been diagnosed with tuberculosis in 2016, for which part of his lung was surgically removed. In April 2022, he was sent to a pre-trial detention centre, and a month later he reported that his illness had worsened in detention. Gorinov has repeatedly stated that he is not receiving the necessary medical care in either the remand centre or the colony.

  • In July 2022, Gorinov was sentenced to seven years in a general-regime colony under the article on spreading “false information” about the Russian army while using his official position and on the grounds of hatred or enmity (paragraphs “a,” “b” and “d,” part 2, article 207.3 of the Criminal Code). On appeal, his sentence was reduced by one month.
  • The case was initiated because the opposition figure, at a council of deputies meeting on 15 March 2022, referred to events in Ukraine as a war rather than a “special operation.” He also said that the Russian authorities were seeking to seize Ukrainian territory and that children were dying in Ukraine as a result of the Russian army’s actions. Along with Gorinov, his former colleague on the municipal council, Elena Kotenochkina, was charged in the case. She left Russia and was later sentenced in absentia to 7.5 years in a penal colony.
  • In November 2024, Gorinov was given an additional three years in a penal colony under the article on justifying terrorism (part 1, article 205.2 of the Criminal Code). This sentence was upheld in April this year. Under the combined sentences, the former deputy must spend five years in a high-security colony. The second case against Gorinov was launched in September 2023 over conversations with other inmates in the prison hospital. He discussed the attack on the Crimean Bridge and talked about the Azov regiment.
  • According to journalist Dmitry Muratov, other inmates were specifically placed in Gorinov’s cell to provoke him into conversation and secretly record him. Four cellmates with whom Gorinov spoke became prosecution witnesses. A linguistic analysis presented at trial also confirmed the provocations. Gorinov’s defence lawyer noted: “Out of a 14-hour audio recording, only 14 words could be used against Gorinov.”