Happy Visits Day!
23.04.2026
You know, every day in the calendar is a holiday or a “day of” something. Sometimes official and important, sometimes funny and absurd, like “condensed milk’s birthday” or “ironed shoelaces day”.
Today, 23 April, is Dates Day (in Russian the word svidanie means both a date and a prison visit). For people far removed from Russian political realities, a date naturally suggests something romantic: going out to a restaurant, the cinema, or a rooftop terrace with a view over the city.
But, as you’ve probably guessed, this letter is about a different kind of meeting: visits with family in colonies and detention centres.
There’s a lot to say about how important this day is for a prisoner — the day when their parents, wife or husband with their son or daughter, brother or sister come. You wait for it the way children wait for their birthday or New Year. Long visits are especially precious, because you can spend three whole days with your loved ones, cook home food, talk endlessly and simply hold hands.
We usually share with you thanks from the relatives of people in prison. Parents, wives and children often write to tell us how important your support is and how it helps them hold on in these difficult times. We don’t show thank-you letters from political prisoners themselves for security reasons: all letters go through prison service censorship, and of course we can’t let the security services find out that a political prisoner is supported by the Marathon “You are not alone”.
But today we’re happy to share with you a letter from a political prisoner that his wife managed to carry out — she was recently on a long visit with her husband. This is what she wrote:
Hello. Today we came out of a long visit with my husband. Thanks to your help and the efforts of many people, our visit happened, thank God. We are very grateful to you, and my husband asked me to pass on a short letter to you, which I managed to carry out.
Hello, dear and respected friends!
This is […] writing to you. Today is already the third day of my long visit (3 days in all) with my wife and our two children. And I want to express my enormous gratitude for the considerable help and support you have given my family! Perhaps many people don’t even imagine what these days mean to a prisoner — how precious they are, often in the literal sense of the word, especially when you are sent thousands of kilometres away from your family and loved ones! And your compassion, care and support are simply beyond price! May the Almighty grant you every blessing, and your loved ones too, of course! Once again, a huge thank you!!!
With respect, […] 03.26
These words of thanks are addressed to each of you. Because only thanks to your support can this family and dozens of others be together again, even for three short days, and feel each other’s warmth and support.
Kind regards,
Ksenia Fadeeva