Attacks, work in the cold and malnutrition: an American spoke about life in a Russian prison

The American, who was in a Russian prison for most of this year, was released along with Brittney Griner, but she said that "no one came to see her." The edition told in more detail Yahoo!.

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Sarah Krivanek says she was attacked by a prisoner and left incommunicado.

“No one ever came,” Sarah Krivanek said.

Krivanek was released on December 8, the same day that WNBA star Brittney Griner was released from Russian captivity.

She said that she suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and malnutrition, which she endured. Upon returning home, she had to go to a local hospital. She is currently working with a traumatologist.

The State Department said: “The US State Department, our embassies and consulates abroad have no higher priority than the safety of US citizens abroad. The US Embassy in Moscow assisted in the case of US citizen Sarah Krivanek for more than a year. We observed the progress of the case throughout the process, including being present at the deportation hearings. We have been coordinating with the Russian authorities to facilitate the safe return of Krivanek to the United States."

Krivanek disputes this claim and says deportation center agents from Russia put her on a commercial flight and she had to sign paperwork that required her to reimburse the US government for travel expenses. According to her, she was given only $100 in cash and was forced to travel alone. She was not contacted by anyone from the US government throughout her detention, Krivanek says, and after her arrest at the airport, she met with officials only at a single hearing in her deportation case.

Became a victim

Krivanek, 46, moved to Russia in 2017 to teach English. Fluent in both languages, she managed to make a successful teaching career in Moscow's elite schools. After a broken wedding engagement, she lived for some time with roommates, one of whom was a man (according to Krivanek, he beat her). In December 2021, she was arrested and detained for attacking him with a knife, which she said she defended herself with.

On the subject: Not only Paul Whelan: how many Americans are serving sentences in Russian prisons

A trial in February without a jury resulted in a 15-month sentence in a Russian penal colony. Even her lawyer told her that the sentence was extreme under the circumstances. Krivanek is convinced that she became a “victim” for the Russians in order to send a warning to the United States about interfering in the war with Ukraine.

“I just came at the wrong time,” she explained. “Because it happened right after the start of the war with Ukraine, they used it as leverage.”

Defeated Hope

In a penal colony located in a remote region of Russia, Krivanek said she had to face harsh conditions: the colony consisted of "old ramshackle buildings from the Stalin era" where, she said, she was forced to work in an asbestos factory.

There, an American sewed artificial flowers for cemeteries. Since the factory did not have air conditioning, in the summer the guard would break the windows for ventilation. A small heater kept the workers warm during the autumn and winter months. According to her, she switched to a diet of cabbage and bread.

Krivanek believes her American citizenship often made her a target for prison officials and other inmates. Throughout her stay, she witnessed human trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation, drug use, and gambling.

Sarah, who was banned from using the prison's official phone system, said she used a smuggled cell phone to call the US embassy in Moscow. Her seven-minute call was forwarded to Washington, where she gave the operator her name and location. Immediately after that, the signal was lost.

“Then all I had to do was pray and hope that I gave them enough information to find me,” she said. - I didn't have anyone. No phone calls. Nothing. I was completely alone."

Surveillance of the kidnapping

The Krivanek situation eventually caught the attention of the UK-based activist group Russia Behind Bars. They tried to deliver items such as clothes, toothpaste and soap. According to her, the activists wanted to visit her, but during both of their visits they were not allowed to see Krivanek in person. I connected this organization with the American Anita Martinez, whose friendship dates back to 2008.

Martinez lives in California. She was the last person to talk to Sarah and saw how the Russian authorities arrested Krivanek on camera, because the women were talking on FaceTime.

“I froze and didn’t know what to do. At that moment I was in the store and stopped in shock in the middle of his premises, ”Martinez described the incident.

She immediately began a long and difficult effort to free her friend, including contacting the embassy in Moscow, the State Department, activists and media organizations. She said a State Department spokesperson told her that they knew of Krivanek's whereabouts and were working on her release, but were unable to give her details because she did not have permission from Krivanek to let them talk to her.

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“No one told me anything,” she assured.

"They found me"

Adjusting to life in the US was difficult for both women. Krivanek suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and is dealing with the loss of her father, who died while she was in Russia. She now lives with Martinez, but a friend says she is not ready financially and emotionally to help Sarah make a successful adjustment to move forward in life.

The GoFundMe account was created to help Krivanek pay off a US government loan, and Martinez helps her get medical care as well as therapy.

Krivanek said she owes her freedom to her friend: “Anita is just cool. I knew that no one could step over her, because if she had something in mind, she would achieve it.

Nine months after her arrest, on September 1, Krivanek received an email that changed her life. It was from Martinez, who asked about her condition.

“I was about to give up,” Sara admitted. But when I received this letter, I cheered up. They found me."

Letters to prisoners

American basketball star Brittney Griner, recently released from a Russian prison, asked her fans and all those who supported her to write letters to Paul Whelan and other prisoners to support them and not let them lose hope.

“You took the time to show me that you care. And I want to personally take the time to write to you and tell you that your efforts made a difference." The athlete said that thanks to the constant support of the public, she “never lost hope” while in prison.

“Your letters not only inspired me. They showed me the power of the team. Together we can do the hard things. And I am living proof of that,” Griner said.

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