In Kaliningrad, renowned defense attorney Maria Bontsler, currently in custody at Pretrial Detention Center No. 1, faces torture-like conditions. The heat in her cell and the lack of basic insect protection put the life of the gravely ill lawyer, who has been diagnosed with serious cardiac problems, at risk.
Torture by forty-degree heat and insects
The temperature in Bontsler’s cell at Pretrial Detention Center No. 1 in Kaliningrad reaches 40 degrees Celsius, according to journalist Natalya Kholmanova. In such conditions, confinement in a closed space becomes a severe ordeal for one’s health.
Therefore, the situation worsens at night, when the detainee is deprived of the opportunity to sleep normally. Kholmanova reported in detail on the inhumane conditions in the detention center.
“At night, mosquitoes eat her alive. The lights are never turned off, and the insects swell even more. But closing the window is impossible—the heat and stuffiness are so intense that even someone with serious illnesses can barely breathe.”
According to her, after Bontzler fell into a near-coma due to the heat, a special commission visited her cell. However, the inspectors stated that a fumigator was not provided, and no one had thought of a mosquito net. Furthermore, the facility’s administration does not permit the use of a fan.
“In other pretrial detention centers, ventilators are permitted. There’s no direct ban on them. But here, the issue remains unresolved. Every day, we literally have to beg for what should be the norm.”
A sharp deterioration in health and criminal prosecution of a lawyer
However, this is far from the first complaint about harsh conditions in Kaliningrad’s Pretrial Detention Center No. 1. Maria Bontsler previously complained of “unbearable” heat in her cell.
“I almost died. My heart stopped several times.”
Previously, Bontsler’s defense attorney reported that her health had deteriorated sharply due to “inconsistent” medication prescriptions. Specifically, she was diagnosed with a serious heart condition with a high risk of stroke.
Ultimately, the human rights activist ended up behind bars because of her professional activities. Maria Bontsler, the only lawyer in Kaliningrad who defended political prisoners, was arrested in May 2025 on charges of “confidential cooperation with a foreign state” after a search of her phone allegedly revealed correspondence with an SBU officer. While the initial charges were less severe, in March 2026 the charges were upgraded to treason. According to investigators, she was transmitting information about local security officials, which she had learned through her work, abroad.
Russia: Lawyer Maria Bontsler reported torture conditions in a Kaliningrad pretrial detention center
