Record-breaking “lifers” were denied parole: they’ve been in prison since Gorbachev’s time

Initially they were going to be shot

The Vologda Regional Court recently denied early release to record-breaking Russians sentenced to life imprisonment based on the time served. We are talking about the inhabitants of the Vologda Pyatak colony, 60-year-old Yuri Denisov and 57-year-old Alexander Ishimov.

As MK learned, both were convicted more than 35 years ago and sentenced to death. One received the death penalty for participating in a gang, the other for the murder of his wife and her lover, whom he found at home when he returned from work. Due to the moratorium, their death penalty was commuted to life imprisonment. Denisov and Ishimov have been sitting in the same cell for several years, both are seriously ill. Human rights activists, as well as parishioners and ministers of the church at the colony, interceded on their behalf.

The petition stated that all the goals of the punishment had already been achieved, and their further detention in such a place was pointless and dangerous. Neither Denisov nor Ishimov have had a single disciplinary sanction since 1996. However, literally on the eve of consideration of the application for parole, the colony administration reprimanded both “lifers.” One received a penalty for leaving the toilet without a license plate (the sign was sewn on his jacket, and the man took off his outerwear before visiting the bathroom, and then did not have time to put it on), the second – for not participating in exercises (he had previously I didn’t do exercises due to poor health). Both are preparing an appeal to the president with a request for parole. By the way, Yuri Denisov’s wife is still waiting for her husband, with whom she married even before his arrest. About the fate of this woman we told.

According to human rights activists, the problem is that in Russia, in principle, there is no practice of releasing life prisoners on parole. About 300 life prisoners have the right to be released, but the courts are afraid to take responsibility for such decisions. The only example is “lifer” Anvar Masalimov, who was released several years ago. But that experience can hardly be called successful. Firstly, Masalimov was released not on parole, but in connection with the replacement of a more severe punishment with a less severe one. And secondly, having been released, he soon committed domestic murder again and returned to the colony.