A Texas father has revealed the grisly conditions he is enduring in the Soviet-era penal colony he was thrown into after trying to visit his sons in Russia.
asserted
he → reveal → Russia
David Barnes, 69, was arrested in January 2022, shortly after he flew to Moscow to see his children, whom he alleges were abducted by his ex-wife, Svetlana Boricovna.
asserted
he → arrest → wife
Boricovna was accused of taking their American-born sons, now aged seven and 11, from their home in Houston unlawfully, prompting an Interpol alert.
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Boricovna → accuse → alert
The couple had an acrimonious divorce in which Boricovna accused him of sexually abusing their children.
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Boricovna → have → children
Texas authorities investigated the claims and ruled that Barnes had not committed any crimes.
uncertain
Barnes → investigate → crimes
He stood trial in Russia through the bars of an iron cage and, two years after proceedings began, was found guilty of molesting the two boys while in the US.
asserted
proceedings → stand → US
Barnes is now serving a 22.5 years prison sentence at the IK-7 penal colony in the small town of Shilovo, where inmates are reportedly subjected to harsh conditions, forced labor and allegations of systemic torture and abuse.
uncertain
inmates → serve → torture
The former software programmer, in a series of phone interviews with Texas Monthly, has now revealed the 'hell' he has faced in the eerie prison, which he alleges has abysmal medical care.
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he → reveal → care
'There's no dental facilities,' he told the outlet, sharing how he has lost half of his teeth over the past four years.
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he → be → years
'The only thing they'll do is extract your tooth.'
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they → do → tooth
David Barnes, 69, was arrested in January 2022, shortly after he flew to Moscow to see his children, whom he alleges were abducted by his ex-wife, Svetlana Boricovna
He and Boricovna tied the knot at the Houston courthouse in October 2009, about six months after they started dating.
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they → arrest → October
She was already pregnant with their first son, Barnes said
Barnes, pictured at his Houston home, is now serving a 22.5-year prison sentence after a Russian court convicted him of sexually assaulting his two sons.
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court → say → sons
He denies the allegations
Barnes, who was once a male model and describes himself as a health fanatic, has already lost 25 pounds.
He claims his face is gaunt from malnutrition and that he survives on meals consisting of cabbage, macaroni and stringy meat.
uncertain
he → deny → cabbage
He is able to take short walks in the prison yard and has access to a few rusty barbells that he lifts, but exercise and contact with the outside world has become scarce.
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exercise → take → world
He is not allowed to write or receive letters and is only permitted to have 15-minute phone calls, but the connection is so poor that it allegedly sounds like he is calling from outer space.
uncertain
he → allow → space
His sister, Carol Barnes, told the news outlet that she often hears other prisoners yelling in the background when she speaks to Barnes on the phone.
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she → tell → phone
She deposits money to her brother's commissary account so he can buy extra food and phone the US, but she suspects he is being extorted by fellow inmates in exchange for protection.
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he → deposit → protection
Barnes, who maintains his innocence and alleges he has been wrongfully detained, said he feels like a 'political prisoner' and feels abandoned by American lawmakers.
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he → maintain → lawmakers
'I need help,' he told the outlet, saying that he has 'faith' that President Donald Trump will help bring him home.
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Trump → need → him
'He won't allow me to be left behind,' he added.
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he → allow → ?
He stood trial in Russia through the bars of an iron cage and, two years after proceedings began, was found guilty of molesting the two boys while in the US
Barnes, seen being flanked in court by a Russian guard, has been serving his sentence at the IK-7 penal colony.
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Barnes → stand → colony
He alleges medical care at the facility is abysmal and that he has lost half of his teeth during the four years he's been locked up
Inmates are reportedly subjected to harsh conditions, forced labor and allegations of systemic torture and abuse at the IK-7 prison in Shilovo.
uncertain
Inmates → allege → Shilovo
are not available, but it likely resembles the IK-6 penal colony shown above
He did note he is 'disappointed' in his Texas congressmen for 'not making me a priority.'
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me → resemble → congressmen
The Barnes family says they contacted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Sen Ted Cruz and James Talarico, a state representative and congressional hopeful, seeking help, but have not heard back.
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they → say → help
Barnes and Boricovna met in 2007 at an apartment complex in Houston, where they were neighbors.
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they → meet → Houston
She had just immigrated from Russia a few months prior.
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She → immigrate → Russia
The pair quickly became friends and then tied the knot at the local courthouse in October 2009, about six months after they started dating.
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they → become → October
Boricovna had fallen pregnant with their first son, Barnes said.
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Barnes → fall → son
He said the relationship quickly turned sour after their eldest son's birth and by 2013 they were living in separate homes.
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they → say → homes
Boricovna wanted a divorce, he claimed, but he wanted to work on their marriage for the sake of their son.
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he → want → son
The couple spent an evening together in autumn 2013 and Boricovna fell pregnant again, Barnes recalled.
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Barnes → spend → autumn
They then agreed to move back in together.
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They → agree → ?
They welcomed their second son in early 2014, but the relationship only worsened, with Boricovna accusing Barnes of molesting their toddler.
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Boricovna → welcome → toddler
The couple divorced in 2017 and Barnes was investigated by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services the following year over the abuse allegations.
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Barnes → divorce → allegations
Detectives did not find enough evidence to bring charges against him.
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Detectives → find → him
Barnes, pictured with his son, maintains his innocence and alleges he has been wrongfully detained.
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he → picture → innocence
He described himself as a 'political prisoner' and said he feels abandoned by American lawmakers.
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he → describe → lawmakers
Barnes, who was once a male model and describes himself as a health fanatic, said he has lost 25 pounds while in custody.
asserted
he → describe → custody
He claims his face is gaunt from malnutrition and that he survives on meals consisting of cabbage, macaroni and stringy meat
Boricovna took Barnes to court in Texas in 2019 seeking sole custody of the boys due to the alleged abuse.
He alleged she 'coached' the boys into making 'false accusations' against him and petitioned for primary custody to 'protect' them from her.
uncertain
she → claim → her
A jury ultimately denied both their requests.
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jury → deny → requests
…and 11 more, not listed.
The Aporia
