09 January 2025
Visually Impaired Activist Oleksandr Sizikov Was Illegally Transferred to Volgograd
Oleksandr Sizikov, a visually impaired activist from the Bakhchysarai district of Crimea, who was illegally sentenced to 17 years in prison, is currently in transit at a correctional facility in Volgograd. His lawyer, Safiie Shabanova, confirmed this information based on a letter received on January 8.
Sizikov was transferred from Simferopol’s Detention Center No. 1 in mid-December 2024. The political prisoner reported that he, along with another detainee, is being transported to Krasnoyarsk region; however, the exact facility of his detention has not been disclosed. According to preliminary information, they may be transferred from Volgograd on January 13.
In the letter, Oleksandr Sizikov described the conditions of his transfer, stating that in every transit point, detainees are placed in special strict-regime cells. Despite harsh conditions, he noted receiving help from another prisoner:
“At all transit points, we are placed in special cells under strict regime conditions. Thank God, since leaving Simferopol, I have been traveling with Ihor, who helps me with everything. Our transfer is long, and another Crimean group that left Simferopol on December 26 has already caught up with us here. We are doing well, staying together, and helping one another,” wrote Oleksandr Sizikov.
It is worth noting that Oleksandr Sizikov lost his eyesight entirely in 2009 due to a car accident. Later, following another incident, he had his spleen removed. He is classified as a Group I visually impaired individual and suffers from chronic gastrointestinal conditions and cervical-spinal disorders, requiring regular medical supervision and rehabilitation. His diagnosis is included in the list of conditions that preclude serving a prison sentence, as approved by the Russian government in 2004. Lawyer Safiie Shabanova filed a motion to suspend Sizikov’s transfer to a penal colony, citing his health condition, and requested a medical commission. However, these appeals were rejected.
We urge the international community to intensify pressure on Russia to secure the release of all unlawfully detained individuals and to ensure they receive adequate medical care. We also call for increased efforts to hold the aggressor state accountable and to achieve the liberation of occupied territories. Only through these measures can the ongoing practices of illegal detentions and repressions based on religious and ethnic grounds be stopped.