We demand medical care for Igor Baryshnikov

18 545 appeals sent

65-year-old activist from Sovetsk, Igor Baryshnikov, is being held in a penal colony. He was charged with spreading "fake news" about the Russian army due to his Facebook posts, and was sentenced to 7.5 years in prison.

OVD-Info previously reported in detail the story of Igor Baryshnikov and his 96-year-old mother, whom he had been caring for. She could not endure his arrest and passed away shortly thereafter. Igor was not permitted to attend her funeral.

Baryshnikov's health condition makes his detention in the penal colony life-threatening. He has benign prostatic hyperplasia, which forced him to use an epicystostomy — a special tube inserted through the abdominal wall to drain urine. Under conditions of imprisonment, this poses a direct threat to his life: the lack of proper care could lead to infections and sepsis.

Long Wait for Appeal and Deteriorating Condition

For several months, Igor was held in a pre-trial detention center without access to medical care. He could not properly flush his cystostomy or follow a strict diet. His condition deteriorated: he developed circulation problems, his hands and feet turned blue, and he suffered from constant pain and insomnia.

In September and October 2023, we launched the first two campaigns in support of Igor, demanding that his sentence be replaced with a non-custodial punishment. We sent thousands of appeals to the prosecutor's office and the court, but they were unsuccessful—the Kaliningrad Regional Court upheld the sentence.

Nevertheless, thanks to public pressure, the detention center administration took him to Kaliningrad's only urologist-oncologist, who replaced his cystostomy and flushed his bladder.

Critical Condition and the Fight for Medical Care

The situation grew worse: Igor could no longer sleep, lie down, or sit due to severe pain. His hands turned black from a fungal infection, which he contracted due to the conditions in the penal colony.

We began sending appeals to the Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN), demanding urgent medical care.

After public pressure, Igor was placed in a prison hospital, where they finally replaced his cystostomy and began treating the fungal infection. This was critical, but it did not address the main problem—the need for surgery.

Waiting for Surgery

For six months, Igor waited for surgery that could have freed him from the cystostomy. Doctors at Penal Colony No. 8 delayed the procedure, ignoring the need for urgent intervention. We again joined forces and together sent nearly 8,000 appeals to FSIN, the Ministry of Justice, and the Prosecutor General's Office demanding immediate surgery.

In August 2024, the UN Human Rights Committee ordered Russian authorities to provide Igor with adequate medical care.

On September 26, 2024, after a year of struggle, Igor underwent the necessary surgery. His prostate adenoma was removed, and he no longer needs a cystostomy. This has significantly improved his life in detention.