Kremlin critic arrested Alexei Navalny According to his own statements, he was transferred to a penal colony near the city of Vladimir, which is known for its harshness. “Hello everyone from the strict detention zone,” Navalny wrote on his Instagram channel on Wednesday. He was transferred to the IK-6 Melelechowo penal camp the day before. He is currently in quarantine and “doesn’t have much to say”.
Melekhovo Penal Camp
Before his transfer, Navalny was imprisoned in a penal colony in Pokrov, about 100 kilometers from Moscow. The Melekhovo penal camp is now 250 kilometers from the Russian capital and, according to Navalny supporters, is “one of the scariest prisons in Russia”.
In the past, several media outlets reported mistreatment of inmates in the penal camp. Navalny’s spokeswoman, Kira Jarmysch, said in May that Melekhovo was “notorious for the fact that his prisoners are tortured and killed”.
Navalny is the most prominent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin and is known for exposing corruption in Russia. He was arrested at Moscow airport upon returning from Germany in January 2021. He had previously been treated in Berlin for poisoning he suffered in Russia with a neurotoxin from the Novichok group, for which he blames Putin.