Artist Jailed for Two Years in Russia Describes Ordeal of Torture and Abuse

Aleksandra "Sasha" Skochilenko, an artist and musician, has detailed her two-year ordeal in a Russian prison, where she alleges she was subjected to rape threats, starvation, freezing conditions, and psychological torture. Her imprisonment stemmed from an act of protest in April 2022, shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, when she replaced five price tags in a supermarket with messages critical of the war and state propaganda. These messages included statements like, "Putin has been lying to us from television screens for 20 years: the result of these lies is our readiness to justify the war and the senseless deaths."## Arrest and Imprisonment

Skochilenko's protest was reported by an elderly shopper, leading authorities to track her via CCTV. She was apprehended at a friend's house, an experience she described as terrifying, fearing she was about to be raped. She spent hours undergoing interrogation, with authorities suspecting her of being part of an organized activist group. Declared a threat to society, she was held in St. Petersburg's Detention Centre No. 5 while an investigation proceeded, culminating in charges of spreading "fake" information about Russian forces. The trial itself lasted over a year, during which her physical and mental health reportedly deteriorated significantly due to what she described as "inhumane" conditions.## Harsh Prison Conditions

According to Skochilenko, prison authorities denied her essential medications for her coeliac disease, bipolar disorder, and heart condition. She was given a choice between eating gluten, which could be life-threatening due to her coeliac disease, or starving. Her diet reportedly consisted of only cabbage or potato for dinner, with insufficient options for breakfast and lunch. She described being crammed into a cell with 17 other prisoners, under constant surveillance. Fellow inmates, allegedly cooperating with authorities, engaged in psychological torture, including gaslighting and forcing her to repeatedly wash and dry her clothes in freezing temperatures, only to be told she still smelled. She was also made to watch pro-war programming on repeat.

Conditions were exacerbated by the harsh Russian climate, with temperatures dropping significantly. Prisoners were given thin blankets and inadequate mattresses, leading to extreme cold. Exercise time in a small, barred courtyard could be prolonged, and prisoners were sometimes forgotten during their allocated hour. Shower access was limited to twice a week. Skochilenko noted that her low blood pressure and anemia made the cold particularly unbearable.

Support and Release

Despite the severe conditions, Skochilenko was determined to survive. She credits regular exercise, even within the confines of the prison, as crucial for her mental well-being. With the support of her then-girlfriend, now wife, Sofya Subbotina, and human rights groups, she was eventually moved to a less crowded room and granted some medical attention. Her family had fled to France due to fears of state pressure. She and Subbotina, whose relationship was not legally recognized under Russia's anti-LGBTQ+ laws, were eventually permitted limited contact.

In November 2023, Skochilenko was convicted under repressive laws enacted after the invasion and sentenced to seven years. Her case was one of the first brought under this legislation, which effectively criminalizes anti-war activism and drew international condemnation. The woman who reported her defended her actions, stating, "I am proud of what I've done. Is it not a disgrace to see a crime and then just walk by?"

Approximately a year after her sentencing, Skochilenko was moved from her prison. She was eventually informed she was part of a political prisoner exchange. She, along with others, was flown to Ankara, Turkey, and then to Cologne, Germany, as part of a 16-person multinational exchange. This exchange notably included Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and U.S. Marine Paul Whelan. Skochilenko now resides in Berlin with her wife and continues her activism through art and music, including an upcoming comic book documenting her time in prison. She maintains that she does not regret her initial act of defiance, stating, "This was a journey of my life. But it is years of turmoil all over a sticker."