Nana Sander, a civil activist standing trial in connection with the 4 October 2025 case, spoke during a court hearing about alleged inhuman treatment.
According to her statement, she is experiencing health-related problems and has requested appropriate medical care as well as an adequate mattress. She indicated that, despite repeated requests, these issues have not been resolved and that she continues to suffer from pain. Sander further stated: “They are attempting to attribute my pain which is not related to the absence of an orthopaedic mattress to mental health issues,” and alleged that a psychiatrist threatened her with transfer to a psychiatric institution, referring to a similar development in the case of teacher Nino Datashvili.
Sander also reported difficulties related to food provision. She noted that she has specific dietary requirements (being vegan) and, due to the absence of suitable food options in the penitentiary facility, she remained without food for two days. According to her account, she was informed that “your food does not exist.”It should be noted that another detainee, Anastasia Zinovkina, has also raised concerns regarding alleged ill-treatment in detention. Zinovkina reportedly faces similar health-related issues and, rather than having these concerns addressed, was transferred on 15 January to a closed-type penitentiary institution, where restrictions were imposed on the number of permitted telephone calls and visits.
Russian civic activist and convicted person Anastasia Zinovkina, detained in connection with pro-European protests, has been transferred to a closed-type penitentiary institution, and the number of telephone calls and family visits permitted to her has been restricted. According to her lawyer, Daria Samodurova, Anastasia Zinovkina had been held in a semi-open penitentiary facility since 12 September 2025. The transfer was ordered on the basis of a decision dated 15 January 2026, which cites a “classified hearing record” as its legal ground. Accordingly, the specific reasons for the change in the type of penitentiary institution applied to Anastasia Zinovkina remain undisclosed. The order of the Director General of the Special Penitentiary Service, circulated by the defense, states that Anastasia Zinovkina is classified as a “convicted person posing an increased security risk.” The lawyer has indicated that the 15 January order will be appealed in the near future.Anastasia Zinovkina is a citizen of the Russian Federation and a participant in protests opposing Vladimir Putin. She arrived in Georgia in late 2022. On 17 December 2024, she was detained together with her friend Artem Gribul.
The Prosecutor’s Office charged them with possession of 16 grams of narcotic substances, and both were sentenced to eight years and six months of imprisonment. Anastasia Zinovkina and Artem Gribul participated in pro-European protests in Tbilisi, where they provided demonstrators with hot beverages. According to them, this activity became the basis for their detention. Anastasia Zinovkina has a serious health condition and accuses the prison administration of failure to provide adequate medical care.
