American Prisoners at Russia’s ‘Fashion Colony’ Are Making Clothes

• Russia’s IK-17 penal colony is named a “Trend Colony” partly for its brightly-painted exterior.
• American prisoners held there say they face poisonous work circumstances and an absence of medical consideration.
• It’s the probably vacation spot for detained reporter Evan Gershkovich, the WSJ stories.

American prisoners in Russia’s IK-17 penal colony spend their days assembling garments in poisonous circumstances and are commonly uncovered to fungus and airborne cloth particles, a Wall Avenue Journal investigation revealed.

The jail is the probably vacation spot for detained reporter Evan Gershkovich if he’s convicted of espionage costs, the outlet stories.

IK-17 — often known as “Trend Colony” for its brightly-painted exterior meant to idiot onlookers — is about 300 miles east of Moscow, within the Mordovia area of Russia, in response to the Wall Avenue Journal.

If Gershkovich had been to be detained on the trend colony, he would be a part of three identified American prisoners already there: Jimmy Wilgus, Thomas Stwalley, and, most just lately, Paul Whelan, an ex-marine detained in 2018, now serving a 16-year sentence on espionage costs that he denies.

The USA has labeled each Gershkovich and Whelan as wrongfully detained, in response to the Wall Avenue Journal. 

Prisoners at IK-17 should assemble garments for the Russian firm Technoavia, utilizing supplies that may go away fungus on their arms. The investigation discovered that in addition they work with out air filtration, forcing them to breathe in cloth particles.

A Technoavia spokesperson advised the Wall Avenue Journal that labor circumstances are carefully monitored by the state and that manufacturing processes are suspended if requirements aren’t met. 

Inmates additionally haven’t any entry to medical doctors or dental care, leaving inmates with out entry to mandatory drugs, Wilgus advised the outlet. Equally, Whelan’s brother, David, advised the Wall Avenue Journal that dental issues are solved by extractions solely. 

Prisoners and human rights activists additionally spoke to the outlet concerning the solitary confinement circumstances. Wilgus advised the Wall Avenue Journal he as soon as spent 100 days in confinement, reporting that guards safe beds to the wall for prolonged durations and power prisoners to sit down on the ground or on a bench for 16 hours every single day. 

As Gershkovich awaits trial, the U.S. Home of Representatives voted unanimously on June 13 to challenge a decision demanding the journalist’s instant launch. Nearly 40 U.S. Senators additionally wrote a letter condemning his detainment.