Vadim Kharchenko*'s relatives reported that he was denied medical care.

Vadim Kharchenko*, a blogger from Gelendzhik, is being repeatedly placed in solitary confinement without explanation and is not receiving medical care in the Novorossiysk pretrial detention center, his relatives and friends said.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," Vadim Kharchenko* was convicted on March 12, 2025, by the Gelendzhik City Court of Krasnodar Krai and sentenced to seven years in a general regime penal colony. . The appellate and cassation courts refused to uphold Kharchenko*'s appeals against the sentence. The blogger's defense announced in February that they were preparing a complaint to the Supreme Court.

Activists, defense attorneys, and relatives of Vadim Kharchenko* told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent on June 11 that they were preparing complaints about the lack of medical care he received in Pre-trial Detention Center No. 3 in Novorossiysk. The complaints will be filed with the prosecutor's office and the Federal Penitentiary Service.

“Vadim repeatedly requested medical assistance, but it was refused on principle. Because of these requests, instead of being sent to the medical unit, he was sent to solitary confinement twice in a month: first for 15 days and then for seven. Kharchenko* has serious vision and breathing problems and is a third-degree disabled person. After being in solitary confinement, his condition worsened significantly, and he was forced to declare a hunger strike, which he submitted. He maintained the hunger strike from June 4th to June 7th. Then, barely alive and completely exhausted from hunger and illness, he was transported from Novorossiysk to court in Gelendzhik and back. The last hearing took place on June 9th,” a well-informed source told the “Caucasian Knot.”

According to a source, Kharchenko* is currently being retried on charges of insulting religious feelings (Part 1 of Article 148 of the Russian Criminal Code), incitement to extremism (Part 2 of Article 280), and slander (Part 5 of Article 128.1). The hearings are being held behind closed doors.

“The man is essentially being subjected to a series of repeated transfers to solitary confinement for requesting medical assistance. He is not allowed to see the documents regarding his placement in solitary confinement; this is an arbitrary act,” the source emphasized.

Activists and relatives of Kharchenko* attribute the lack of medical care he received in pretrial detention to the fact that the head of the medical unit, Rimma Krasnoshchyokova, is the wife of Yaroslav Krasnoshchyokov, a lawyer involved in the case and known as Judge Khakhaleva's defense attorney.

Activists attend hearings in the Kharchenko* case, but none of them are allowed into court, said support group member Elena.

“We're told that all hearings in his case have been closed. Vadim was last seen from a distance on June 9th, being led out of a police van. He had lost a significant amount of weight and could barely walk—it was clear he was simply exhausted. As we know, the next hearing will be in more than a month, on July 24th. The court has scheduled the questioning of witnesses and the examination of written evidence. The victim, Krasnoshchyokov, and his wife, Krasnoshchyokova, are clearly abusing their position both in court and in pretrial detention. Otherwise, what are these accusations based on? Why is everything being kept secret? Why is a disabled person being denied medical care and sent to solitary confinement? This is complete lawlessness!” the activist stated.

Vadim's mother, Natalya Kharchenko, confirmed that the blogger is complaining of serious health problems. "Vadim is currently experiencing serious health problems. His vision has deteriorated significantly. He needs to see a doctor, but they won't let him, even though they're obligated to respect his rights. He's suffocating because of the dampness in the basements where he's being kept. We've written to him repeatedly about visiting him, saying we'd like to see him, but while they previously refused, now he himself doesn't want us to see him within these walls and in his condition," she told the "Caucasian Knot."

According to his mother, Kharchenko* was visited by a lawyer, who reported after the meeting that he had lost a significant amount of weight and his health had noticeably deteriorated. "He's a strong guy, but what's happening is a huge challenge for him. My father and I are concerned not only for his health, but also for his life. We can't understand such cruel and inhumane treatment of our son," added Natalia Kharchenko.

* is listed as a foreign agent.

** Meta (owner of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp) is banned in Russia.