Blogger Diana Shurygina is asking friends to send chips, soda and sweets to her Moscow pre-trial detention cell as she faces criminal charges over pornography distribution.
Her friend Diana Bicharova disclosed the food requests to Russian news outlet KP.RU, explaining that acquaintances have been delivering the prisoner her favorite food items despite describing them as absurd choices for a detention facility. KP.RU is the online news portal of Komsomolskaya Pravda, a major Russian daily newspaper.
Bicharova said Shurygina is currently sharing a cell with 12 other inmates. Shurygina was transferred to the pre-trial facility after violating the conditions of her house arrest by accessing the internet, according to court documents.
Under Russian criminal procedure, house arrest regulations forbid suspects from using telecommunications or accessing the internet. Pre-trial detention centers, known in Russia as SIZOs, hold criminal suspects during judicial investigations when house arrest terms are breached or when detention is deemed necessary.
Shurygina first became a widely recognized media personality in Russia in 2017 after appearing on national television talk shows regarding a high-profile court case. She subsequently built a substantial online following as a blogger and social media figure.
Detention extension and Telegram criminal case
The Troitsky District Court of Moscow previously extended Shurygina's pre-trial detention period until October 19. Authorities initiated the criminal investigation into pornography distribution following the publication of intimate photographs and videos on a Telegram channel that she managed. Telegram is a popular messaging platform in Russia where public channels are frequently used for media distribution.
As she remains in custody, a male acquaintance of Shurygina revealed new details regarding her personal life prior to her arrest. He stated that a television cameraman fell in love with her during the broadcast of a talk show about a rape case. The cameraman married her as soon as she turned 18, but the marriage proved short-lived because she began partying, according to the acquaintance.
Secret meetings and high-earning relationships
Following her divorce, the 20-year-old blogger entered into a secret relationship with a high-ranking official whose contact entry in her mobile phone contained just a single letter. The acquaintance said the official was significantly older than Shurygina and maintained an official family with a wife and children.
The couple met on a strict schedule twice a month at the Radisson Hotel on Kutuzovsky Prospekt, a major radial avenue in western Moscow known for luxury developments and commercial landmarks. The official reserved one of the most expensive rooms in the hotel and paid Shurygina 15,000 dollars per month for their dates.
During the same period, Shurygina maintained a parallel relationship with another partner who provided her financial support. The acquaintance noted that her other boyfriend was entirely unaware of her secret meetings at the hotel.
