Jailed Russian journalist Maria Ponomarenko delivered her ultimate phrase in court docket on Monday, accusing the prison machine of abuse and violence as prosecutors search to condemn her for allegedly assaulting jail guards.
Ponomarenko, 46, used to be sentenced to 6 years in jail in February 2023 for publishing details about the Russian bombing of a theater in Mariupol, Ukraine.
Government charged her with assaulting jail guards later that 12 months.
Ponomarenko, who has been identified with histrionic character dysfunction, slit her wrists in pre-trial detention in September 2022, claiming mistreatment. The RusNews media outlet, the place Ponomarenko labored as a correspondent, reported this month that she used to be at the verge of suicide and had long gone on starvation strike to call for higher residing stipulations.
The court docket will ship its verdict in her 2d felony case on Thursday, the place she faces a two-year sentence. Forward of that, Ponomarenko learn the next commentary to the court docket:
The speech has been edited for period and readability.
“Time has hardened me. I wish to thank everybody who reveals the braveness to put in writing, to discuss with, to strengthen the ones convicted beneath political fees.
I used to have 1% of doubt, however now I’m positive that the Mariupol theater used to be bombed by means of Russia. You at all times wish to absolve your place of birth, however that 1% has died.
…
I like younger individuals who have already got a humanist stance, however I did not come to it immediately. It took paintings on myself, pushing apart egocentric pursuits. Our notions have transform twisted… I don’t wish to say an excessive amount of so I don’t finally end up with any other fee, however patriotism right here approach converting the most productive into the worst. I am incessantly in solitary confinement (SHIZO). There are professionals and cons. No less than I don’t have to peer the never-ending circulation of lies on tv after I’m there. I simply wish to say: ‘Prevent the sector, I wish to get off.’
…
I’ve dissociative dysfunction and claustrophobia. That is my thirteenth [stint in] SHIZO. It’s simple to peer that I were given they all for merely having my situation.
I used to be overwhelmed there. I had bruises, however they refused to record them in pre-trial detention.
We’ve such a lot of untouchable officers. You scouse borrow? So what. You beat somebody? So what — it’s now not a significant crime for them. We’ve the tsar, and you’ll’t take away him. Other people say the tsar is just right and the boyars are unhealthy — however the tsar can do anything else, he can brush aside all of them. Vladimir Vladimirovich [Putin], why are ill youngsters begging in our nation? I have been listening to in regards to the ‘decaying West’ because the 90s, however what I in fact see is how we’re decaying. Jail team of workers hang to lawlessness, to this cesspool, and so they show pride in it.
They retain telling us: ‘Give start, give start.’ However how about studying to keep what already exists? Masses of 1000’s of youngsters are killed, and in 90% of circumstances, by means of their very own relations. Jail and colony team of workers see themselves as gods. We by no means take into accounts taking away the foundation explanation for why this is going on. Individuals are damaged in youth, then beaten even additional in jail after which they’re launched into society. And why did they transform like this?
I have by no means noticed as a lot violence as I’ve in prison. The worst of it occurs in psychiatric hospitals…I used to be sitting on my heels, crying. Massive orderlies burst in and throw me onto a desk chest-down. I chew my tongue so onerous it bleeds. They twist my palms in the back of my again and tie them so tightly that I’ve scars. I stumble, they punch me within the abdomen, kick me, slam me towards partitions. Those are the paramedics of the psychiatric ambulance. They shove me into the ambulance. I unintentionally step at the stretcher and so they curse at me with the filthiest language. They throw me onto a bench and sit down on best of me. And I’m claustrophobic. Sooner or later, I simply black out. This used to be in Biysk Psychiatric Health facility. Even aged girls are overwhelmed there…Possibly I in reality have transform hysterical, as a result of the whole thing impacts me. They beat me there… I’ve confronted violence repeatedly. The primary time used to be in a psychiatric clinic in Barnaul. They even took my sanitary pad away — ‘What in the event you consume it?’ I stated, smartly, if [you think] I consume pads, what’s preventing me from consuming the bedsheet? For that, they began injecting me with haloperidol… In the beginning I used to be stunned, however later I spotted that a lot worse can occur.
…
We wish to humanize our penal machine. Atypical folks will have to now not be allowed to torment different atypical folks. Punishment will have to be isolation or [doing mandatory] paintings you don’t like… I fought so onerous for my proper to not squat with my buttocks unfold aside [for searches]… No person has the suitable to degrade human dignity like this.
Evil will proceed to multiply till we prevent sowing it.
…
There are tens of 1000’s of blameless folks in prisons! I enchantment to everybody—simply since you are apolitical does now not ensure your protection. If truth be told, there are a ways fewer politically lively electorate in jail. No less than they get strengthen. Imagine me, each letter you ship is felt. I like youngsters very a lot. Other people ship me footage. I incessantly press letters to my chest.
…
The worst abuse occurs in iciness and spring. As a result of the lawlessness, I slit my veins. Sooner than solitary, they took me to the bathe. No scorching water, handiest ice-cold. An officer stated, ‘Let her look ahead to it to warmth up.’ 4 hours of ready. There are not any home windows within the bathe. I began panicking, gasping for air. I laid a plastic bag at the ground and began washing garments. Then I misplaced awareness. Once I got here to, a crowd had entered, screaming at me to dress. I requested for 10 mins — I used to be having a panic assault. They shouted again: ‘You’ve already been sitting right here for 2 hours.’ Then I heard the order to make use of power. There have been males, and I used to be status there in only a towel. One lady grabbed my arm, proper the place my stitches have been recent. The thread tore. Even the fast-acting injection didn’t assist immediately.
And the cherry on best: in spite of everything this mistreatment, I used to be given any other 15 days in solitary confinement.
That’s how they deal with me. Now believe an atypical prisoner, somebody without a outdoor strengthen, seeking to say a phrase. That’s why everybody remains silent…
Now that’s in reality all. I say sorry — this used to be my likelihood to talk. Now I will be able to be silent for a protracted 3 years.
I would like each and every of you, if you end up about to argue, to bear in mind my phrases. And suppose — why argue? We should now not combat each and every different. The principle factor is, we’re for peace. The entirety else is nonsense, trivia.
I say sorry to everybody I could have harm. And to my brother — I’m sorry. He is aware of why.
Prevent seeing enemies in everybody. Possibly then, enemies will stop to exist.
Lifestyles is lovely, regardless of the whole thing. I like lifestyles, although I infrequently stand at the edge.
The entirety shall be fantastic, it doesn’t matter what.”
