Conditions Behind Bars: Daniil Kasatkins Experience in Frances Notorious Prison

A 26-year-old Russian basketball player, Daniil Kasatkin, shared his thoughts on the prison in Paris where he has been held after his arrest at the airport.

«I am currently in a facility called Centre Penitentiaire de Fresnes. This is, of course, the first prison I have seen in reality. Fresnes Prison is one of the oldest in France, and I find the conditions to be quite poor. Although I am sure there are worse prisons in the world, I have no basis of comparison. However, I’ve been informed that this facility is considered one of the worst in France.

It’s difficult to summarize all the living conditions. Recently, an American of Korean descent moved into my cell. He brought a chair, a charging cable for my phone, and cleaning supplies, which has improved my situation over the past few days. For the first 25 days, there was no chair in my cell, so I had to eat while standing. My phone wasn’t working, and there were no cleaning supplies. I lived in complete unsanitary conditions. Despite my attempts to communicate with the prison authorities, I haven’t received a single response or any effort to address these issues. Thankfully, with my friend’s arrival, my circumstances have improved.

In prison, we are provided with meals twice a day, which is insufficient for an athlete’s body. The food lacks protein, making it hard to maintain my muscles even with daily training. I do my best to train every day. We are allowed outside once a day for about an hour and a half. The exercise area is just a «box» approximately ten meters long and six meters wide, with only a bench available. I haven’t required medical care yet; it may be available, but I’m not sure.

Overall, aside from the guards, I can’t complain about how I’ve been treated by French law enforcement. It’s clear that this is a significant source of stress for me, but I am being treated like everyone else,» Kasatkin told Kommersant.