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Journalist Nika Novak announced a hunger strike after she was placed in a punishment cell (SHIZO) for five days on 19 August. This was reported by her support group.

The support group does not specify the reason for the disciplinary action. After serving the penalty, Novak will be transferred to harsher detention conditions.

In November 2024, the Zabaykalsky Regional Court sentenced Novak to four years in a general regime penal colony. The journalist was found guilty under the article on confidential cooperation with a foreign organisation for the purpose of assisting activities aimed against Russia’s security (Article 275.1 of the Criminal Code). The court concluded that Novak had, for money, helped a foreign organisation prepare false materials that discredit the Russian authorities and military.

On appeal, the court also ordered the confiscation of 500,000 rubles (approx. US$5,250) allegedly earned by Novak through criminal means at the editorial office of Radio Liberty.

The case was heard behind closed doors and its details were not officially disclosed. The journalist’s mother said the charge was linked to Novak’s cooperation with the outlet Sibir.Realii, which is labelled a ‘foreign agent.’ This outlet is affiliated with Radio Liberty, which has been declared an ‘undesirable’ organisation by the Russian authorities.

In May this year, Novak was transferred to IK-11 in Irkutsk Region, Eastern Siberia. According to ‘Pervy Otdel’ (“First Department”), this colony has a reputation as one of the most closed-off and brutal. Prisoners have spoken of regular beatings, pressure, blackmail and constant stints in SHIZO.

22 August According to a report by Sibir.Realii, Nika Novak was placed in SHIZO for refusing to give an interview to a pro-government outlet. She was also required to deny reports about prison conditions that had previously been published by her support group.

Novak’s friends familiar with the situation said that one of the colony’s staff forced her ‘to give a repentant interview to some journalists—on the topic that everything in the colony was wonderful.’ When she refused, she was released.

‘But soon after, she was written up for allegedly not greeting the female warden (of course, she did greet her). For a conversation about this penalty, she was called to the colony chief during her work shift. She asked for time off and left. However, she was accused of unauthorised absence from her workplace. For these two fabricated violations, she was placed in SHIZO for five days,’ Novak’s acquaintances said.

Other reports suggest that the administration of IK-11 may also have disliked the content of a letter written by the journalist and published on her support group’s channel. In it, Novak complained about the monotonous food in the canteen, the queues for the bathhouse and the schedule for visiting the bathhouse.

‘She had no write-ups at all during her three months in the Bozoy colony, and then suddenly it started. From out of nowhere, some remarks, some reports appeared. The staff summoned Nika and recommended she “refute the information in the channel” where snippets from her letters about life in the colony are published. But have a look for yourself—is any of it subversive? Bureaucracy, “dedovshchina”? That’s in everyday life too—who would be surprised by that nowadays? ’ said a friend of the convicted journalist.

The journalist’s family and friends believe that Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) staff will continue putting pressure on Novak, giving her fabricated penalties in order to worsen her situation in the colony.

‘We see that it turns out you don’t even have to break discipline—sometimes it’s enough just to write a letter, telling the truth (and not even a scary truth). And for this letter, they’ll send you to SHIZO and impose strict detention conditions on you,’ her friend added.

8 September Nika Novak resumed her hunger strike on 6 September, her support group reports. The reason was that the colony administration unjustifiably fails to pass on correspondence sent to her. Novak is awaiting a visit from the prosecutor.

You can support Novak by writing to her via the Vestočka service or by sending a letter to:

669511, Irkutsk Region, Ekhirit-Bulagatsky District, Bozoy settlement, IK-11 of the FSIN Main Directorate for Irkutsk Region, Nika Aleksandrovna Novak, born 1992.

  • Previously, Nika Novak worked at various media outlets in Chita, a city in Siberia—ChitaMedia, ZabTV, Zab.ru. In 2014, she supported Russia’s actions towards Ukraine and visited Donbas, but in 2022 she opposed the full-scale invasion.