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Former head of Mari El republic: “Russian prisons are hell.”

The former head of Russia’s Republic of Mari El Leonid Markelov, who was arrested on suspicion of taking bribes, complained about the conditions at Moscow’s Lefortovo detention center at a meeting with the city’s Public Monitoring Commission member Eva Merkacheva.

Markelov said that, though FSB officers packed some of his personal belongings upon his detention, now he is being denied the right to make use of said belongings – down to his own underwear – at the center. Markelov also noted that he does not any have close relatives who could deliver a care package for him.

According to Markelov, the Lefortovo detention center still has no hot water and prisoners are allowed to wash only once a week. “Do I really deserve such treatment? Tell my friends, amongst whom there are deputies, about my current situation. Let them make changes to the law so that people behind bars can live better,” said Markelov.

“Russian prisons are hell. Such prisons cannot exist in the 21st century,” Markelov said.

Markelov was arrested on April 14, as per a ruling by Moscow’s Basmanny Court, for receiving a bribe of 235 million rubles (approximately $ 4,207,80). Markelov denies his guilt.

A week before his arrest, Markelov resigned from his post as head of Mari El. It was reported that he planned to work in the Federation Council – the upper house of Russia’s parliament.

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