[Editor's note: In light of Mikhail Khodorkovsky's recent parole request, we asked our correspondent (and former political prisoner) Grigory Pasko to share his experience going through the process of applying for conditional early release. See Part 1 here.]

Conditional, very conditional….
Part 2

Grigory Pasko, journalist

For some reason they once called me to the chief of the colony. Practically all of his deputies had gathered there. The colonel showed a letter which I had sent to my wife two weeks earlier. “In your letter”, said he, “there is such a phrase: ‘If only I knew who the bastard was who had crossed me off the incentive list…’ We consider that this – is a use of a non-censorial [curiously, in Russian this means “censorable”—Trans.] word, an insult to the official persons of the institution and to state power as a whole. An investigation will be conducted and a report drawn up”.

The investigative isolator (SIZO) in Chita, where Mikhail Khodorkovsky is now found. He may be denied conditional early release for any absurd reason whatsoever. (Photo by Grigory Pasko)

Last 5 posts by Robert Amsterdam

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