Political prisoner, aged 63, refuses Putin’s pardon.

Though offered presidential pardon to light of March 8th, she chose her principles.    

(Published on Holod.media on 23.05.2024 ) 

Opposition activist from Transbaikal, 63-year-old Natalya Filonova, who was sentenced to 2 years and 10 months in prison in early May, told us she was promised a presidential pardon and refused it. Despite deteriorating prison conditions, Filonova does not lose heart and looks for opportunities even in solitary confinement: examples include the opportunity to lose a few stones and re-visit musical hits of her youth. “Holod” shares a letter sent from the penal colony by Natalya Filonova, in which she explains what made her decision to refuse Putin’s pardon - the right one.    

Filonova begins her letter by mentioning she was sent to a punishment cell {ШИЗО in Russian} for the second time this month. But the section Thus, Holod’s restoration of the original content of her words is only approximate because of the gaps left by censorship. Filonova’s defender, Nadezhda Nizovkina, told Holod she can’t confirm the pensioner was sent to a punishment cell twice since Filonova’s letters, addressing her, aren’t actually sent by the colony administration. According to Nizovkina, Filonova stated multiple times in correspondence that the name of her defender is in the blacklist of the colony’s administration: on the eve of the cassation court hearing, she wrote that not only a long letter to Nizovkina, but also the power of attorney in her name, had been confiscated from her.    

Who is Nataliya Filonova, and what was she charged with?    

Nataliya: “The announcement of possible pardon was not made officially; I was not invited to visit high offices or high officials. The lawyer simply showed up – just about two days before the cassation court was scheduled for me. (As Filonova noted in other letters, she was not acquainted with, nor hire this lawyer; her inquiries about who sent the lawyer were not answered – Note, “Kholod”) The lawyer showed me [a printout] of the announcement saying I was among 52 women to be pardoned by the president by March 8th.  

We all know that to seek pardon, one must first admit guilt. You need to write an application yourself by hand, go through certain procedures, and finally cooperate. All this is not welcomed by me. I told this lawyer: I refuse this pardon out of principle. The lawyer was content. And I wasn’t asked to sign any official refusal. Simply, by hand, I wrote down on this printout my ideas and arguments about not willing to settle for crumbs from the master’s table.”     

Did Putin genuinely intend to pardon Nataliya Filonova?    

Nataliya: “I had been in a similar situation once before. When I was still in the pre-trial detention center in Ulan-Ude – awaiting the court of appeal – I was approached by the investigator tasked with finalizing my case. He wanted to know my intentions: was I going to fight or accept the offer of the prosecutor's office and go home after admitting the guilt. In that moment, I told the defense justice I was set on defending what’s just.   

In retaliation, the Supreme Court of Buryatia - the appelate instance – refused my demands and recognized the decision of the district court. And in revenge, they scrapped out the part in which I was characterized positively. Which, I think, was conductive to them placing me under enhanced security in this place (in the colony, Natalya Filonova was registered as “prone to extremism.” - Note from Kholod).  

   I remember the case of a woman who was in a pre-trial detention center with me; she was unfairly accused of fraud. She would not admit guilt. She had a dedicated lawyer, and broad public support. The prosecutor’s office offered a tradeoff to her: admit guilt to lawyers, in exchange for three years in prison being replaced with three years in probation. In anguish and distress, in front of us all, she conformed. And received a suspended sentence, which everyone deemed a victory.  

Let me tell you: I did not experience this level of torment when making the decision to refuse the pardon. I knew the worth of all these agreements. My conscience did not allow me to fall for the procuracy’s lead. At the courts - both in the appellate and cassation instances - I recited Vladimir Lifshitz’s poem “Squares”, which ends with these lines:   

And should you resist: 

- I won’t give in!.. what was past won’t be again!.. 

Silently emerge from the darkness 

people who know how to kill. 

You’ll gulp down melancholy like quinine, 

and into squares, dream-like, 

the blue patch will be fragmented - 

black bars on your window.

[Doubts about whether I made the right choice refusing a pardon,] did not plunder me. However, thoughts about [the possibility of] an amnesty, or some other humane act in relation to other prisoners, did. After all, this year is declared ‘the year of the family’; the president stayed in power. Demographics is a tough issue. A logical thing would be to release young mothers to mitigate demographics, as well as releasing old women.   

 Now, the very same people who sent the lawyer my way with the announcement of a pardon — in other words those, who decided on my fate, — have decided to crush me. I suppose they will fabricate a reason to lock me up in the punishment cell until the end of my imprisonment, which ends on March 4, 2025.     

I tried to challenge the commission’s decision to place me under special consideration and attention, and to disprove that I violated regulations. Hypothetically this would allow me to get out on shortened sentence. And yet, a month has passed and no trial [to challenge the disciplinary sanctions imposed by the colony administration] scheduled. I seriously doubt it will take place at all. My correspondence with the outside is thoroughly censored, and I'm afraid many of my letters do not reach their recipients. There are times when people just wait and wait for an answer and blame me for not responding. Many letters addressed to me I simply do not receive.”  

On the topic of penitentiary confinement:   

(the fact that Filonova was sent to a punishment cell became known in early May; it appears now she is back there - though the letter in which she explains this was censored. - Note from Kholod).   

Nataliya: “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. Or they also say: it's no use crying over spilt milk; idioms like these come to mind. It’s possible to live in any conditions; there are some benefits even in penitentiary confinement. Lots of time to think. Get lean. See this side of life for yourself. Actually, time to read as well. The prison schedule leaves some free time to ourslves – I’m writing you a letter in this time –or it can be used for reading. There are books here, occasionally the radio is on: news, music. Thank God it’s not Klava Koka {Russian pop singer – note.} that’s playing – they have a varied selection, lots of music stuff from my youth.   

Other prisoners regard me as a “political” prisoner - but most of them still exude friendliness. I also maintain connections with people from my region. For those who always think, meeting new people is a godsend: you get to know their characters, circumstances, and feel engaged in a humane sort of way. People are still people, wherever they are; even those who have done something terrible. Despite prison prohibitions, they help each other to get through it.”    

Author: editorial team of “Holod” 

Translated from Russian by Eliza Ugodnikova