Prisoners Protest Conditions in North Kazakhstan Colony; Relatives Raised Alarm

An incident involving self-harm by inmates has occurred in the maximum-security prison located in the village of Novoukrainka, Aiyrtau district, North Kazakhstan region, Orda.kz reports.

Prisoners reportedly injured themselves in protest, with one individual undergoing emergency surgery after swallowing a foreign object. He is currently hospitalized.

Relatives of the inmates reached out to journalists, citing inhumane conditions inside the facility.

According to Lyudmila Melnikova, there is a lack of basic necessities, including bed linen and medical care, and inmates are under continuous pressure from the administration.

Her son, Alexander, has lost significant weight due to stress and recently attempted suicide:

My son opened his stomach with a nail, damaging his intestines. As we learned, doctors were not allowed to see him. He bled for five hours. They did not let an ambulance into the colony. We do not know why this happened. The management does not tell us anything. Our children received their punishment, why are they treated like this?
 Melnikova said.

She traveled to the hospital in the village of Saumalkol immediately after the incident. Although her son was admitted in serious condition, she was not allowed to see him and could only speak to the medical staff.

I asked the doctor to film Sasha. So that my son could tell me about his condition himself. The doctor called the head of the colony. He forbade it. They only told me the diagnosis – a penetrating stab wound to the abdominal cavity with damage to the loop of the small intestine,
 she added.

According to family members, 15 inmates attempted to take their lives. While the specific cause remains unclear, the relatives believe the action was aimed at drawing attention to ongoing issues in facility No. 51.

They tried to cut their veins. They cut their arms. They were carried out on stretchers. Some were able to lock themselves in safe places. The tense situation in the colony has been going on for a long time. The children talk about the constant lawlessness that is happening there. They talk about provocations. They are asking for help. We are simply crying out in despair. We are trying to get the competent authorities to come from the capital,
 said Tatyana Lapina, the mother of another inmate.

Her concerns were echoed by other relatives present.

In response, the North Kazakhstan Regional Department of the Penal Enforcement System issued a statement:

In facility No. 51 of the North Kazakhstan region, prohibited items were confiscated from three convicts. Expressing disagreement with the detention regime, the convicts inflicted bodily harm on themselves. All were provided with medical assistance. One of them is in the city hospital due to the fact that he swallowed a foreign object. An operation was performed. According to medical workers, his health condition is satisfactory,
 the agency reported.

Relatives fear that public attention could lead to retaliation against the prisoners, but say they are prepared to appeal to all relevant authorities. They believe that their sons have been punished and deserve to be treated humanely and to return home alive.

Several years ago, the same facility was the site of a fatal incident in which one inmate killed another with a hammer. At the time, it was reported that a prison officer witnessed the attack but did not intervene.

Original Author: Kristina Yusicheva