A court in Krasnoyarsk has denied the release of a convict with incurable cancer three times.
Judges of the Zheleznodorozhny District Court in Krasnoyarsk have refused to release 46-year-old Sergei Sviridov, a resident of the Altai Krai, from prison three times due to his serious illness.
He submitted such a petition in April and November 2025, as well as in March 2026, Mediazona found out.
As stated in the appellate court's decision, Sviridov was diagnosed with incurable cancer: “The attending physician also explained at the court hearing that the surgical treatment and chemotherapy performed had yielded no results, and the disease is currently progressing.”
The man requested exemption from punishment, as his condition could worsen at any moment and he would not be able to receive treatment in the prison hospital. He emphasized that he had not been involved in any conflicts in prison and that he could live on a disability pension once free.
In her ruling, Krasnoyarsk Regional Court Judge Alexandra Lugovkina disagreed with the convicted person's arguments, noting that a fatal disease on the government's list only allows the court the opportunity to release a prisoner, but does not oblige them to do so.
“Sviridov is currently receiving all necessary treatment, essentially the same as he would receive if he were in another medical facility outside of prison; no other treatment is indicated for him,” the ruling states.
The oncologist questioned in court also noted that if Sviridov's condition worsens, he might need the help of others. However, the convict himself responded that he has no family and lived alone before his arrest. “Therefore, the convict receives all necessary treatment and care in prison, and if released, given his identity and family composition, providing care for him by others is difficult,” Judge Lugovkina ruled.
Sviridov was arrested in January 2024 in Barnaul. An FSB press release claimed he “established ties with a terrorist paramilitary organization” and was plotting to set fire to a Ministry of Defense facility using Molotov cocktails. He was sentenced to 17 years and 7 months in prison, the first three years of which he served in a prison in Minusinsk, Krasnoyarsk.
