Prison Lawyer
Answers questions about imprisonment: rights in pre-trial detention and penal colonies, parcels, visits, parole.
The only official bot is @prison_hot_line. It never asks for money or SMS codes.
Message the bot
@prison_hot_line
Paper found in a search can become evidence: keep it carefully.
Someone close is in prison
Right now
- Hand in a parcel at the SIZO window with your passport, or online.
- Don't write about politics, the case or third parties: censors read letters.
- Write to the SIZO they left and the prison service if you hear nothing.
Draft: not yet checked by a lawyer
The guides below are drafts: a lawyer has not reviewed them yet. This is not legal advice. Draft What human rights defenders advise
Someone in prison is being denied treatment
- Human rights groups advise putting requests for medical care in writing to the head of the medical unit and pressing for a copy of the medical record: without documents, violations are hard to prove.
- If there is still no treatment, complaints go to the regional prison service, the prosecutor who oversees prisons and the health watchdog Roszdravnadzor. Publicity sometimes helps, and sometimes the prisoner is punished for it. Decide together with the lawyer and, if possible, with the person themselves.
- A seriously ill prisoner can be released under art. 81 CC after a medical examination against the list of illnesses in Government Decree No. 54. A lawyer usually prepares the application.
- In urgent cases lawyers ask the UN Human Rights Committee for interim measures.
- Where to turn: Prison Lawyer, Public Verdict. Political prisoner support groups help with medicines and parcels.
- In pre-trial detention. The list of illnesses that bar detention is set by Government resolution 3, updated in 2025. The defendant, their representative or lawyer applies to the investigator, court or detention centre head with medical records from inpatient tests. The decision on a medical examination is due the next working day; a refusal can be appealed.
- A prisoner can attach their own medical records to an application for release on health grounds (resolution 54 as amended in 2025). OVD-Info reports that in 2025 prosecutors overturned such releases on appeal at least twice.
- OVD-Info counted at least 225 political prisoners with health problems in 2025 and documented 11 cases of denied medical care. Copies of medical records are issued on the patient's own written request, usually within 30 days (Law 323-FZ, art. 22; order 789n).
Ready-made templates and tools
- Templates for complaints and applications (in Russian) · First Department (foreign agent) · link checked 26 September 2026
- How to get a civilian doctor to examine a prisoner (in Russian) · First Department (foreign agent) · link checked 26 September 2026
- How to send medicines to a pre-trial detention centre (in Russian) · First Department (foreign agent) · link checked 26 September 2026
Designations of organisations in this guide: OVD-Info (foreign agent, extremist, on Rosfinmonitoring list). Contacting them carries a risk: do not write from a phone that may be seized, and do not repost their materials.
current as of 26 September 2026. More: OVD-Info: how prison healthcare ruins prisoners' health (extremist); Criminal Code, art. 81 (ConsultantPlus); Government resolution 3: illnesses that bar pre-trial detention; Government resolution 54: release of prisoners on health grounds; OVD-Info: repression in Russia in 2025 (in Russian) (foreign agent, extremist, on Rosfinmonitoring list); Health Ministry order 789n: deadlines for copies of medical records
Who helps
11 organisations · contacts checked against the organisations' sites 26 September 2026Freedom Zone
Association of political prisoners' relatives: money for families, parcels, paying for lawyers and fines.
Other ways to reach them: zona.svobody@gmail.com
Get in touch
freedom-zone.com
Women's Term
Helps women in Russian prisons and their loved ones: parcels, lawyers, contacts.
Other ways to reach them: woman.term@protonmail.com · bot @woterm_bot
Get in touch
womanterm.com
Nora
Free psychologists and psychiatrists for activists, volunteers, NGO and media staff, political prisoners and their families: two sessions (sometimes more) on application via the website. There is also a peer-support bot run by volunteers and spaces in Moscow and St Petersburg.
They reply within 10 days by email, Signal or Telegram. Choose Signal for the reply. The bot @nora_psyhelp_bot offers peer support, not a psychologist.
The only official bot is @nora_psyhelp_bot. It never asks for money or SMS codes.
Other ways to reach them: noraforpeople@gmail.com · website
Message the bot
@nora_psyhelp_bot
Committee Against Torture Foundation
Free help for people who suffered torture or ill-treatment by police, prison staff, the National Guard and other officials: a psychologist and a support group, payment for medicines and tests, documents for court, lawyers.
A charitable foundation registered in 2019. Its website says it is not a 'foreign agent'. It helps people at liberty and in custody, their families and witnesses. You can write briefly and anonymously, without your real name.
The only official contact is @bfkpp_help; the foundation's website links to it.
Other ways to reach them: website
Get in touch
@bfkpp_help
#free120 campaign
Volunteer campaign for the release of seriously ill political prisoners in Russia. It finds lawyers and doctors for them, pushes the prison service to provide treatment and raises money for families' trips and parcels.
This is mainly an advocacy campaign: a list, letters, publicity. Direct medical help may be limited. No status in Russia found, but the campaign is run by emigrant groups, so write carefully from Russia and do not keep the chat on your phone.
The only official bot is @free120pzkbot, as listed on the campaign's website. Do not write to bots with similar names.
Other ways to reach them: mail@free120pzk.com
Message the bot
@free120pzkbot
You Are Not Alone (political prisoners support marathon)
Gives money to political prisoners in Russia and their families: for food, medicine, lawyers and trips to visits. Sometimes helps former political prisoners and people who had to flee. Applications are reviewed within 30 working days.
The project itself is not on the lists, but its co-organisers are FBK ('extremist' in Russia) and Meduza ('undesirable'). Applying from Russia carries risk: use a VPN and do not keep confirmations on your phone. In August 2026 some donors' email addresses leaked; the project says applicants' data was not affected.
Other ways to reach them: support@june12.io · application criteria
Get in touch
airtable.com
First Department
Lawyers for treason, espionage, state secrets and extremism cases, including closed trials. Advice on digital security.
The only official bot is @deptonebot. It never asks for money or SMS codes.
Other ways to reach them: website · info@dept.one
Message the bot
@deptonebot
Solidarity Zone
Lawyers and support for people persecuted for anti-war actions; help for political prisoners.
The only official Telegram is the channel @solidarity_zone, as listed on the group's website. It lists no bot; do not write to a bot with the same name.
Other ways to reach them: solidarity_zone@riseup.net
Get in touch
solidarityzone.net
Public Verdict Foundation
Legal aid for victims of police and prison staff; torture cases.
Get in touch
publicverdict.net
Memorial Political Prisoners Support
Recognises people as political prisoners, raises money for lawyers and parcels, helps families.
Since April 2026 Memorial has been an 'extremist' organisation in Russia: donating or reposting from Russia carries risk.
Get in touch
This organisation is designated 'extremist' in Russia. It says that a consultation is not participation in its work, but messages on a phone that may be seized and reposts of its materials are dangerous. Write from a device you would not hand over if detained.
I understand the risk, continueNeed a lawyer
In Russia, lawyers are found by First Department (foreign agent) and Solidarity Zone (foreign agent). Lawyers abroad known for defending political cases: list of lawyers →