How does Leonid Markelov live in Lefortovo? How the ex-head of Mari El Leonid Markelov sits: “You can’t order food from restaurants, poetry can’t be written”

The former head of Mari El, Leonid Markelov, accused of a multimillion-dollar bribe, complained to journalists about the conditions of detention in the Lefortovo pre-trial detention center. From loneliness, cold and lack of medical care, he, in his words, “will soon go crazy.” In solitary confinement, where Markelov has been sitting for eight days, he is only allowed to “think and pray,” he told reporters.

The former head of Mari El, Leonid Markelov, complained to journalists about the conditions of detention in the Lefortovo pre-trial detention center, where he is being held while the Investigative Committee is investigating a criminal case about him receiving a bribe in the amount of 235 million rubles. from the founder of the Akashevskaya poultry farm, Nikolai Krivash. Markelov denies his guilt.

According to a Moskovsky Komsomolets correspondent who visited Markelov, Markelov has been in solitary confinement for eight days, where he has no books, no newspapers, no refrigerator with a TV, and therefore the ex-head of the republic is “going crazy from loneliness” and does not understand , why they treat him as if he is “worse than Chikatilo.”

Markelov is also dissatisfied with the lack of hot water in the cells. “I understand that Lefortovo is a historical site; many great people sat here. But! How can it be that Lefortovo still doesn’t have hot water?” - he was indignant. Markelov also said that in the pre-trial detention center he was not provided with the necessary medications to combat ankylosing spondylitis (a chronic inflammatory disease of the spine and joints), which he learned about a year ago, but hid in secret so that the population would not know that he was a “wreck” . “I even began to go blind! They took pity on me and gave me my drops from the first aid kit,” he added.

Markelov also complained that during the eight days in his cell he was never allowed to see a lawyer.

“I spent 16 years in public service, before that I was a State Duma deputy and a member of the Federation Council. Do I really deserve this attitude? Tell my friends, among whom there are deputies, about my current situation. Let them make changes to the laws to make life easier for people behind bars. I have nothing to shave with, nothing to trim my nails with. I'll soon turn into a savage. The monthly toilet paper has also run out. 25 meters - and more is not allowed.<…>This needs to change. Tell the deputies, be sure! And let them be required at the legislative level to give books from the very first day,” the former head of Mari El spoke about the need to change the conditions of detention in the pre-trial detention center.

In parting, the journalists asked Markelov how he spends his days completely alone without TV and books. “They are allowed to think and pray. But they took the icon away and said that it was in metal, and that is prohibited,” he replied. “I know that I’ll soon go crazy here, excuse the expression, and I’ll be taken to intensive care. Prison is hell for Russia,” the ex-head of the republic finally said, asking journalists not to abandon him and to visit him more often.

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According to Leonid Markelov, in captivity he has to walk around without panties, and the only thing he is allowed to do is think and pray.

Member of the public monitoring commission and journalist of Moskovsky Komsomolets Eva Merkacheva visited the former head of Mari El Leonid Markelov, accused of 235 million rubles from a local businessman, in the Lefortovo pre-trial detention center. The ex-official was arrested until June 12 and placed in a pre-trial detention center in the capital, where, according to Markelov, he is not even given toilet paper, and the conditions of detention are much worse than those of Abror Azimov, a suspect in organizing a terrorist attack in St. Petersburg, who is sitting in the same building.

As Markelov reported, they took away his intkbbach all his clothes and was given instead a black prison uniform and underwear, which he is forced to wear for weeks, and sometimes even walk without them, since, according to him, clothes can only be washed once a week when going to the bathhouse, but for now she dries out, prisoners must do without it. The official also complained that he was given too little toilet paper (25 meters for a month), and it had already run out. At the same time, he does not have books, a TV, any household items and no neighbors in his cell, although, according to journalists, Abror Azimov, who is on another floor, has all of the above and even a refrigerator with food.

“Prison is hell for Russia. There cannot be such a prison in the 21st century... I understand that Lefortovo is a historical site, many great people were imprisoned here. But! How can it be that in Lefortovo before "Still there was no hot water? It's just ice cold water coming out of the tap, it's impossible to wash your hands. I was recently given a prison boiler and an aluminum kettle. I heat the water, and then hold the kettle with both hands - that's how I warm myself," said Leonid Markelov.

He notes that he is constantly cold, but he is forbidden to use the blanket until lights out. According to Markelov, he has been suffering from ankylosing spondylitis for a year now, which results in constant pain in the joints. At the same time, he took the necessary medications from home, but they were taken away, giving only eye drops, and only after he complained that he began to go blind.

The official said that he was being held “worse than Chikatilo,” although no evidence of his guilt was found and he was helping the investigation.

“I was detained with gross violations, I’m telling you this as a lawyer. They didn’t even let me make a call. I was without any food for 16 hours. […] At that moment my blood pressure was 180. Only after some time in response to my prayers, we bought a bottle of water and let the doctor in to give me an injection. Otherwise, I would have died. They took me first by car, then by plane. It’s funny, but I had to buy a ticket for myself. I had 6,310 rubles in my pocket with me, that’s 6 I paid thousands for a ticket, I had 310 left. But I was ready to pay them all, order a whole bus myself, if only they would get me there normally,” he said.

Markelov emphasized that in prison he was only allowed to “think and pray,” but even his icon was taken away. He denies the accusations against him, as well as the fact that during a search he was allegedly found to have paintings, as well as Pushkin’s manuscript, calling himself a visitor to the pre-trial detention center, and not a prisoner.

“I devoted 16 years to public service, before that I was a State Duma deputy, was in the Federation Council. Do I really deserve such an attitude? Tell my friends, among whom there are deputies, about my current situation. Let them make changes to the laws so that people behind bars can live easier,” said Markelov.

The ex-governor is sure that the investigator did this on purpose so that there would be a reason to prohibit him from seeing the child.

Leonid Markelov has already spent seven months, as he himself says, “in captivity.” Namely, the Lefortovo pre-trial detention center. Members of the Public Monitoring Commission visited him several times. The executive secretary of the Moscow Public Monitoring Committee, Ivan Melnikov, talks about the latest visit and the latest news in the prison life of the governor.

I found Leonid Igorevich again in a new cell, the third in my memory.

Oh, yes, I’ve already been transferred 8 or 9 times,” the politician complained. - Tired of this. Each time a new neighbor, until we get used to each other, until we get used to it and then they transfer again.

Markelov’s current cellmate is, as he himself put it, a very interesting person. Also a former employee, like Leonid Igorevich himself. I'm far from new to the pre-trial detention center - I've been in prison for 4 years now. As I understand it, he is one of the defendants in the case of General Sugrobov.

- How are your poems? Have you written anything?

No! Inspiration is completely gone. But now I started playing sports. There is no gym in Lefortovo, and I do push-ups right here in the cell. For good health. I hope this will at least somehow ease the pain in my joints. I have an incurable disease, and the pills that I have always taken are not allowed to be handed over to me from the outside. Prisons aren't very helpful.

“No sun and no food from restaurants”

Leonid Igorevich complains a lot about his health, like many other prisoners. In prison, all diseases always worsen.

I noticed that my vision had dropped significantly. I asked and asked to check, but nothing happened. This is all due to lack of sun. You see, a person needs the sun to get into his eyes. There’s not enough of him in the cell anyway, and we’re also on the shadow side. I wanted to ask to be transferred to the sunny one, but I was already so tired of these transfers...

But Markelov praised the prison gruel.

The food has become much better. Everyone noticed this. Thicker and tastier. Probably because now our neighbors - former high officials from the Federal Penitentiary Service - have joined Reimer Korshunov. Previously, when I was free, I was generally not picky about food. You could have cabbage soup with a piece of meat. And now I really want fish! Apparently, the body does not have enough phosphorus. But they give fish very rarely. And you can’t order anything from the restaurant here at Lefortovo. Although, I know that in other pre-trial detention centers this is not prohibited.

“I really want to see my son”

But Markelov’s biggest tragedy is that he never achieved the right to see his son Igor.

He lives and studies in Moscow. I know that we, as closest relatives, have the right to see each other. I really asked the investigator to allow us a meeting. Then he even wrote to the Commissioner for Human Rights, Moskalkova. She sent the paper to the Investigative Committee. And what do you think, after that, instead of visits, the investigator immediately made my son a witness in the case. This is just disgusting! When I worked in the authorities, I never did this to people. Never!

Leonil Igorevich has a lot of complaints about the work of police officers.

I still don’t understand why I’m sitting here. What am I accused of? An investigator comes to me once every 2-3 weeks, shows me some papers and leaves. In fact, nothing happens. What kind of work is this?

Markelov, as before, calls himself “the Count of Monte Cristo,” unjustly thrown into prison. He counts himself among those 20% of innocents who, according to the glory of the Chairman of the Supreme Court Lebedev, are in Russian prisons.

I'm definitely one of them. It feels like I'm in a completely different world now.

“Business in Mari-El is now terrible”

Along with lamentations about his fate, Leonid Markelov also worries about his Republic.

After all, when I came there to become governor, I brought with me a lot of talented businessmen. I attracted 346 billion rubles in investments. Even Putin noted how I led Mari-El. All those buildings and structures...He called me a creative person.

Leonid Igorevich praised us, members of the PMC, for our work.

Well done, of course. You help so many people. But when I was free, I also helped many. He could come to an orphanage and give the children 5,000 rubles each. All from my own money, from my salary. Or, seeing a beggar, stop the car and give him money, 1000, 2000... I didn’t feel sorry for anything for the people. Nothing.

We noted all the complaints of the ex-governor in the visit log. Both in terms of vision and constant travel. By the way, Lefortovo has finally started running hot water. She had been gone for so many years, and now the situation had moved from a dead point.

I hope we'll get to the gym soon. I know that many people say that this is what criminals need. Forgetting that people are people in prison too. The task of the prison system is to ensure that a person reforms and returns as a full-fledged member of our society. And not to ruin his health and life.

Leonid Markelov, suspected of receiving a bribe of 235 million rubles, was visited in the pre-trial detention center by a member of the Public Monitoring Committee, Eva Merkacheva. According to her, the conditions of detention of the former head of Mari El are worse than those of the suspect in organizing a terrorist attack in the St. Petersburg metro, who is in the same detention center

Leonid Markelov. Photo: Anton Novoderezhkin/TASS

The former head of Mari El, Leonid Markelov, spoke about the conditions of detention in the Moscow Lefortovo pre-trial detention center. There he was visited by journalist, member of the Moscow Public Monitoring Commission Eva Merkacheva. As she describes, in Markelov’s cell there is absolutely nothing except an iron bowl, not even old newspapers, not to mention books. There is no refrigerator or TV.

According to Merkacheva, all of Markelov’s clothes were taken away, and in return he was given a black prison uniform and only underpants, and if a person washed his underwear, he had to walk around without it. Markelov came out to the members of the Public Monitoring Commission wearing black prison pants over his naked body. This is how he describes life in the pre-trial detention center:

“Lefortovo has my things, but they don’t give them to me. There are two whole suitcases there. The FSB officers themselves collected them for me at my home. They provided everything, including tracksuits, medications and nail clippers. They don’t say how soon they will give me all this and whether they will give it to me at all.

I understand that Lefortovo is a historical site; many great people sat here. But how can it be that there is still no hot water in Lefortovo? The water coming out of the tap is simply icy, it’s impossible to wash your hands. I was recently given a prison boiler and an aluminum kettle. I heat the water, and then hold the kettle with both hands - that’s how I warm myself. Now, if I could get a plastic bottle somewhere, I would pour hot water into it and use it as a heating pad. I'm cold and cold all the time. It hurts and twists the joints. I have ankylosing spondylitis. I was diagnosed a year ago, but I kept it a secret so that the population would not know that I was a wreck. Medicines helped keep me in shape. But here, without proper treatment... I even began to go blind! They took pity on me and gave me my drops from the first aid kit.

It's very sad to be alone in a cell all the time. The employees don’t talk to me, they didn’t even take a few minutes to explain my rights. Am I really worse than Chikatilo? I have never seen any of the lawyers here before. I'm completely isolated. I have nothing to shave with, nothing to trim my nails with. I'll soon turn into a savage. And the toilet paper we were given for the month, 25 meters, has run out, but we can’t afford any more. They allow me to think and pray, but they took the icon away and said it was in metal, which is prohibited. Prison is hell for Russia. There cannot be such a prison in the 21st century.”

During the conversation, Markelov several times referred to himself as a visitor instead of a prisoner, and to the cell as an office.

How do the conditions in Lefortovo differ from other detention centers, says Moskovsky Komsomolets journalist, member of the Public Monitoring Commission Eva Merkacheva:

As Merkacheva notes, a suspect in organizing a terrorist attack in the St. Petersburg metro is now being held in the same Lefortovo. Markelov has been there for eight days, and Azimov only two, but he already has a TV, a refrigerator, a lot of food, and most importantly, he has a cellmate.

Leonid Markelov left the post of head of Mari El in early April, and a week later he was in the amount of 235 million rubles.

The everyday life of prisoner Markelov: a trip to court under escort at his own expense, sleeping on a hard mattress under one blanket, walking around his cell in a prison uniform, praying to Saint Leonidas and waiting for friends to visit.

Members of the Moscow Public Monitoring Commission visited the Lefortovo pre-trial detention center with the former head of Mari El Leonid Markelov, where the Basmanny Court of the capital placed him. The prisoner immediately complained about the conditions of detention in Lefortovo and asked for warm clothes. According to the ex-head of Mari El, a plane ticket to the trial in Moscow was bought for him at his own expense. The trip along the stage cost him 6 thousand rubles, which he had with him in his wallet. And now he, left with 300 rubles in his pocket, cannot buy anything in the pre-trial detention center store.

Commanded!

“The way I was detained is a gross violation. I have hypertension, my blood pressure was 180. I asked that they not transfer me immediately, that I would wait for my condition to return to normal. But they answered me: “You have already been ordered,” his monologue from the Dozhd TV channel “7x7” publishes.

According to Markelov, he is satisfied with the food, but he has a hard time without hot water on an iron bed and with a hard mattress. The former “Mari king” is freezing in a pre-trial detention center cell and is forced to heat his water with a boiler in the cold walls of “Lefortovo” so as not to catch a cold on his hands and feet. The warm clothes that the ex-head took with him from his palace with hot water and duvets were taken to quarantine in the pre-trial detention center. So far, they have given me a robe without knightly armor and without panties; there’s not even anything to change into. No books, no TV, no refrigerator. No transfers from outside. Not a bidet... This, they say, greatly outraged the ex-head of Mari El that there is no bidet in the pre-trial detention center. But no one promised Markelov a bidet in prison; the “golden toilets,” as well as the bed and heated floors, remained in the “Mari Kremlin,” where he is unlikely to return. There is no bidet in the pre-trial detention center, isn’t it citizen, ex-mayor of Yoshkar-Ola Pavel Plotnikov, who ended up in the pre-trial detention center, it seems, not without the participation of Leonid Igorevich? As well as, for example, the ex-mayor of Volzhsk Nikolai Svistunov and other enemies of the new resident of the Moscow pre-trial detention center.

Leonid Markelov suffers most from loneliness; he can’t wait to have a cellmate. The VIP prisoner also complained that his friends-deputies, whom he was looking forward to, do not visit him in Lefortovo, reports 7x7 with reference to Dozhd. I wonder if these “friends,” out of a habit developed by Markelov himself, will now shake hands with him or, if something happens, they will pretend that they didn’t notice - what if something happens?

Am I sitting innocent in a damp dungeon?

Markelov still does not admit his guilt and stated that he has done a lot for the country, but he is being kept like Chikatilo - in prison. True, he does not complain about the staff of the pre-trial detention center, he says that they work according to instructions, but the regime itself does not suit him - it “oppresses”. So all he can do is pray to the cardboard icons of the Blessed Virgin and Saint Leonidas and wait for letters from the children.

After the visit of the POC, Lefortovo employees promised to make Leonid Markelov’s stay in the isolation ward easier: to give him warm clothes, a blanket, another mattress, medicines and books, reports 7x7. But they cannot provide the rest of the luxury items that Leonid Markelov is used to surrounding himself with in his home. They are now undergoing an examination in the case of a bribe of 235 million rubles, which is why, in fact, the ex-head of Mari El ended up in Lefortovo.

Alexey Gatilov