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New fundraiser raises money for warm clothes for political prisoners in Russia’s frigid Far North

Source: You Are Not Alone

Anyone sent to a Russian prison or penal colony faces harsh conditions, especially in the Far North.

Prisoners are issued uniforms, but the clothing is often poor quality and fits badly. Russia’s prison system does not provide thermal underwear at all.

Having their own good-quality warm clothing is an important part of daily life for prisoners, including political prisoners, who often cannot receive such items from relatives. That is why the “You Are Not Alone” campaign to support political prisoners has launched a fundraiser to buy warm clothing.

For political prisoners in penal colonies, donations will pay for:

  • Mittens
  • Gloves
  • Socks
  • Thermal underwear
  • Warm insoles
  • Tights for women
  • Shawls and headscarves for women in colonies where prison authorities allow them

The list is slightly different for people in pretrial detention centers. These prisoners are not made to work outdoors, but the facilities themselves can be very cold. The following items can be sent to people in pretrial detention:

  • Warm shoes without laces
  • Socks
  • Tights for women
  • Thermal underwear
  • Sweaters without drawstrings
  • Warm pants without drawstrings
  • Hats
  • Jackets and down coats
  • Mittens
  • Gloves
  • Warm insoles

A donation of just €3 can buy warm insoles for a political prisoner. A €10 donation can buy warm mittens or gloves, and €50 can buy a pair of warm shoes.

Although the fundraiser has a specific purpose, its organizers, including Meduza, are encouraging people to sign up for recurring donations. These donations enable the campaign to provide ongoing support to political prisoners.

The campaign does not accept donations made with ruble-denominated cards and urges people who travel to Russia not to donate.

At Meduza, we are committed to transparency about our use of artificial intelligence in the newsroom. The story you’re reading was written by one of our living, breathing journalists and translated from Russian using an AI model configured to follow our strict editorial standards. This translation process is the result of extensive testing and refinements to ensure our English-language coverage is timely and accurate. A Meduza editor reviews every draft before publication.

If you find any errors in this translation, please contact us at [email protected].

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Cover photo: Goffkein / Shutetrstock