The human rights defender Alexey Sokolov, who was arrested on charges of treason, has been held in solitary confinement since December.

Human rights defender Alexey Sokolov has been held in solitary confinement at Pretrial Detention Centre No. 1 in Yekaterinburg since 30 December 2025, reports First Department.

At first, he was twice sent to solitary for seven days at a time. The first time, this was due to a blade found in his bag. Sokolov told his lawyer that it had been planted on him. The second punishment was for “improper dress” because of an undone lower button. The human rights defender explained that he had been given overalls with a damaged loop, so the button kept coming undone.

He was then given a further 14 days. This time, he was penalised for talking through the cell door with an orderly about how to remove ice from a broken window. Sokolov remains in solitary confinement to this day.

During this time, Sokolov has been kept in two different solitary cells. In one, the window did not close, water and condensation built up on the walls, and icicles formed. Plaster fell from the ceiling and walls, including onto the bed. The cell was very cold and damp. The radiators were concreted into the floor, and clothes would not dry. In these conditions, Sokolov developed a cough.

Since 23 January, the human rights defender has been in another solitary cell. The conditions are similar—the window will not close, even though it is about minus 30 degrees outside, there is high humidity, and icicles form.

18 March Human rights defender Alexey Sokolov, after being moved from solitary to a shared cell, has again reported the cold in the room and is requesting a medical examination. This was reported by the Free 120 pzk Telegram channel.

Sokolov was transferred to a shared cell on 4 March. He had spent over two months in solitary, where he had been sent on 30 December 2025.

The defender said that the current cell is very cold due to the absence of a second window frame: “The existing window frame is glazed with bits of glass, and the gaps are taped… I’m having to sleep in my outer clothes,” he added.

Sokolov is requesting a medical examination due to worsening health. Previously he developed a cough, and now he has some kind of skin condition.

20 March Alexey Sokolov has been taken from the detention centre to hospital, reports It’s My City. Staff at the detention centre reported this today.

It is unclear whether this is connected with Sokolov’s demand for a medical examination.

• Sokolov is a co-founder of the “Ural Human Rights Defenders,” an organisation which helped prisoners challenge illegal actions by Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) staff.
• On 16 December 2025, he was detained on charges of treason (Article 275 of the Criminal Code), and placed in custody the following day. At the court hearing, Sokolov told journalists that he was accused of sharing information about torture and human rights violations in FSIN institutions.
• Previously, a criminal case against the human rights defender was also opened for repeated demonstration of banned symbols (Part 1 of Article 282.4 of the Criminal Code). Law enforcement accused him of displaying the Facebook logo.