Karasartova noted that in 2006, a law was adopted that guarantees detainees in detention centers the right to a 15-minute phone call with relatives once a week.
However, in her opinion, this right is not being upheld. She stated that she had repeatedly approached the administration of the facility with a request to call her family throughout her time spent in the detention center.
“As a human rights defender, I wrote for five months but received no response and was unable to exercise my right. Now that I am free again, I have contacted the GSIN, as the detention center is subordinate to this agency. The deputy head of the GSIN, Sarchayev, claimed in parliament that all detainees have the opportunity to communicate with relatives by phone and that this right is being implemented. However, when I was there twice, I was never allowed to call my loved ones. Therefore, I decided to go to court. I want to know why this legal right is not being fulfilled,” said Rita Karasartova.
In September 2025, the Sverdlovsk District Court found Rita Karasartova guilty under Articles 278 “Mass Riots” and 327 “Public Calls for Violent Seizure of Power,” imposing a fine of 50,000 soms and five years of probation supervision.
The defense appealed this verdict in the city court; however, the appellate panel upheld it. Thus, the conditions of probation supervision and the penalty remain in effect.
