Maxim's clothes have a yellow tag on them: prisoners with such patches have to work on Saturday when others have the day off, work longer if they have had a second shift before, and are permitted fewer phone calls, visits and parcels. Other prisoners who do not have yellow tags are also allowed to use Skype, in contrast to political prisoners. Phone calls can also be taken away if the prison administration considers that the prisoner has violated something.
The number of parcels depends on the regime: the medium security regime allows the communication of one parcel every four months – not more than 50 kg, there is one refrigerator for 30 persons. Clothing and hygiene items are only allowed to be handed over once a year. Prisoners are allowed to be sent money to the colony, but after Maxim was included on the list of individuals “involved in terrorism activities”, there have been problems with the transfer of money, since such transactions are now interpreted as “terrorist financing”.
In prison, the former lawyer works as a seamstress assistant; the production facility where Maxim works is located in a metal warehouse: it is hot in summer and cold in winter there.
Under the regime's rules, Maxim Znak is entitled to three short-term 4-hour visits per year and two long-term visits, one of which he has already been deprived of; his relatives are unaware of the reasons for that.
You can find the full prosecution and detention story of Maxim Znak here.
