Public activists appealed to the state authorities to conduct an independent investigation into the circumstances of the riot in the IK-15 of the Irkutsk region

On 9-10 April, a riot took place in the Irkutsk correctional colony No. 15. According to a video message recorded by an IK-15 inmate, his unjustified beating by the prison staff caused unrest among the prisoners. 20 people cut their wrists in protest, and then they were taken out of the colony.

Then on 10 April, the prisoners committed an act of civil disobedience: they refused to go out for exercise, demanding to explain the reasons for what happened on the evening of 9 April in the institution. After that, there was a riot in the colony, the working premises in the industrial zone burned down. Special Forces of the GUFSIN in the Irkutsk region stopped the riot in the colony. An unspecified number of prisoners were injured during the riot. It is reported that there is one dead.

According to information from the Internet and publications in the media, public figures suggest that employees of the GUFSIN may have exceeded their official powers by using physical force and special means against prisoners.

Representatives of civil society prepared and sent an appeal to the President of the Russian Federation, the Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia, the Director of the Federal penitentiary service of Russia and the Prosecutor General to conduct a thorough independent investigation of the circumstances of the riot in the Irkutsk correctional colony No. 15 and publish openly its results.

Public activists also demand to allow independent human rights defenders, advocates, members of the Public Monitoring Commission of the Irkutsk region and journalists to see the convicts and want to get access to video archives of the colony's assault and riot suppression. They consider it necessary to check thoroughly the legality and validity of the use of force and special means against prisoners.

As of 13 April, the administration does not allow human rights defenders and advocates visiting the colony under the pretext of quarantine.