Irkutsk SIZO chiefs stripped of ranks after torture conviction
The heads of the Irkutsk detention center, where prisoners were tortured, were stripped of their ranks. The Irkutsk Regional Court upheld the verdict against former detention center No. 1 head Igor Mokoev and his deputy Anton Samara.
Consensus
- The Irkutsk Regional Court upheld the convictions of former head Igor Mokoev and deputy Anton Samara of SIZO-1.
- The court intensified their punishment by revoking their military ranks of colonel and lieutenant colonel.
- Mokoev was sentenced to five years in prison, Samara to four and a half years for abuse of power.
- The torture occurred in spring 2020 following a riot at an Angarsk penal colony.
- Detainees were subjected to beatings, forced confessions, and physical abuse including needles under nails and electric shocks.
- The abuse was carried out by 'developers'—inmates working with the administration to extract confessions.
- Five former employees of the Federal Penitentiary Service were sentenced to up to five years in prison.
- The 'developers' received sentences ranging from five to 17.5 years.
- Mokoev and Samara denied guilt, claiming their subordinates acted without their knowledge.
- Prosecutorial checks had previously found no violations at the facility.
Points of divergence
- The trial was conducted with violations; two victims' representatives were denied participation, and human rights defender Natalia Khromenkova was not allowed to attend the appeal hearing. — tg_baikal_people
- The court's decision to exclude the human rights defender was unexplained. — tg_baikal_people
- The victims' representatives claimed the court did not allow them to participate in the appeal process. — tg_baikal_people
Coverage (2 sources)
- Former heads of Irkutsk prison stripped of ranks after being sentenced for torture — Сибирь.Реалии
- Court increased punishment for former head of Irkutsk prison where detainees were tortured, and his deputy — Люди Байкала