Human rights defender Nagavkin enters into settlement agreement with SIZO administration

Volgograd human rights defender Igor Nagavkin managed to negotiate a settlement agreement with the administration of the SIZO (pre-trial prison), but the trial in the case on disorganization of the SIZO’s operation was not closed.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that the Leninsky District Court of the Volgograd Region considers the case against Igor Nagavkin, who is charged with disorganizing the operation of the SIZO. The defendant claims that a provocation was organized against him, when he was placed to a cell with pedophiles, which led to a conflict with SIZO warders. On January 15, Igor Nagavkin spoke in court about cases on torture of prisoners at the SIZO.

The advocate of Igor Nagavkin reported that they managed to negotiate on a settlement agreement with the SIZO administration. Now there are no financial claims against Igor Nagavkin, but the trial in the case on disorganization of the SIZO’s operation has not been closed, the “ZPCh” Telegram channel reports.

“The court takes a rather tough position and does not accept the defence’s arguments. At the same time, Igor is a rather impulsive person, he is able to speak harshly, and, accordingly, the attitude towards him is biased,” Valentin Bogdan, the executive director of the foundation “In Defence of Prisoners’ Rights”*, is quoted as saying.

Valentin Bogdan believes that the verdict to Igor Nagavkin will most likely be guilty. However, the defence hopes for a lenient punishment, taking into account the fact that Igor Nagavkin paid off the damage caused, which the court should take into account as a significant circumstance mitigating his guilt.

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