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Illustrative photo

Illustrative photo

Inside Penal Colonies and Detention Centers

In the colony, Dennis Christensen suffered pneumonia. Recovery is slow due to poor living conditions

Kursk Region

Dennis Christensen, who is serving time for his faith in Lgov Penal Colony No. 3, has been battling pneumonia for the past month. He was in the hospital of the Correctional Colony No. 2, the conditions in which leave much to be desired. As of October 29, 2019, he is feeling better and has been placed in colony No. 3.

Christensen's health problems began in June, when he sought medical help because of severe pain in his left shoulder. Dennis was not provided with timely assistance due to the fact that the surgeon and neurologist of the prison hospital were on vacation, and the attending physician refused him the opportunity to invite a doctor from a paid clinic.

In September, Dennis contracted pneumonia caused by regular prolonged hypothermia. By the time of the onset of night frosts, the prisoners of colony No. 3 were not given warm clothes, while Christensen, along with other convicts, was taken to the daily formation by 8 am in light uniforms and summer sandals. Such constructions lasted for an hour and a half twice a day.

On September 25, Dennis, with pneumonia, was transferred to colony No. 2, which has a hospital. There he was given more than 70 injections of antibiotics, as well as prescribed antibiotics in the form of tablets.

On October 17, Christensen reported that it was still cold in the hospital where he was staying and that he could use one thin blanket that he had to keep warm. There is no enhanced nutrition in the hospital, and it was difficult for Dennis, in his weakened state, to get to the dining room in a building without an elevator. He was forced to eat mainly what he bought at a local store. All this did not contribute to recovery.

Earlier it was reported about unsanitary conditions in colony No. 3, as well as about the moral pressure that is exerted on Dennis Christensen. Nevertheless, he maintains a positive attitude that attracts the attention of those around him.

Case of Christensen in Oryol

Case History
Dennis Christensen is the first Jehovah’s Witness in modern Russia to be imprisoned only because of his faith. He was arrested in May 2017. The FSB accused the believer of organizing the activities of a banned organization on the basis of the testimony of a secret witness, theologian Oleg Kurdyumov from a local university, who kept covert audio and video recordings of conversations with Christensen about faith. There are no extremist statements or victims in the case. In 2019, the court sentenced Christensen to 6 years in prison. The believer was serving time in the Lgov colony. He repeatedly asked for the replacement of part of the unserved term with a fine. For the first time, the court granted the request, but the prosecutor’s office appealed this decision, and the prison administration threw the believer into a punishment cell on trumped-up charges. Christensen developed illnesses that prevented him from working in prison. On May 24, 2022, the believer was released after serving his sentence and was immediately deported to his homeland, Denmark.
Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Region:
Oryol Region
Locality:
Oryol
Suspected of:
according to the investigation, together with the others he conducted religious services, which is interpreted as “organising the activity of an extremist organisation” (with reference to the court’s decision on the liquidation of the local organisation of Jehovah’s Witnesses)
Court case number:
11707540001500164
Initiated:
May 23, 2017
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
UFSB of Russia in the Oryol region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1)
Court case number:
1-37/1
[i18n] Рассмотрено судом первой инстанции:
Железнодорожный районный суд г. Орла
Judge:
Алексей Николаевич Руднев
[i18n] Суд апелляционной инстанции:
Орловский областной суд
[i18n] Суд апелляционной инстанции:
Льговский райсуд Курской области
Case History
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