Human rights defender Oleg Orlov* convoyed from Moscow

Oleg Orlov*, found guilty of discrediting the Russian Armed Forces, has been convoyed from Moscow to another region. He is now in Samara. Oleg Orlov* notes that he was not notified of the transfer. So, he did not have enough time to take the necessary belongings. The convicted human rights defender is still unaware of his final destination.

Oleg Orlov* did not have enough time to pack his belongings and prepare for convoyed transportation, the “Memorial” Centre for Human Rights Defence** reported in its Telegram channel.

The human rights defender could only say that he was being kept in a SIZO (pre-trial prison) in Samara and was very tired. He noted that Samara could be not the final destination. Oleg Orlov* is 71 years old, and his advocate notes that the convicted human rights defender recently recovered from a cold.

Tatiana Kasatkina, a spouse of Oleg Orlov*, emphasized that it would be difficult for her to visit her husband if he was placed to a penal colony a thousand kilometres away. Moreover, immediately after the arrest of Oleg Orlov*, his spouse wrote an appeal asking not to send him anywhere until the verdict came into force.

Let us remind you that in April, Oleg Orlov* requested medical care because of a cold and hearing loss, but was not examined by medical officers, as he had to visit court every day. A medical officer prescribed medical treatment for Oleg Orlov*, but the judge demanded to continue daily visits to court in order to finish examining the case materials by April 5.

*Included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) into the register of foreign agents.

**As reported on the website of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), the reason for including on March 1, 2024, the unregistered “Memorial” Centre for Human Rights Defence (CHRD) into the roster of foreign agents was the spread of “inaccurate information aimed at creating a negative image of the Russian Federation, as well as the Russian Armed Forces.”