US not bad but justice system broken: Butina talks about ‘terrifying’ solitary confinement, vows to fight for inmates’ rights

In an exclusive interview with RT, Russian gun activist Maria Butina recalled the ordeals of her prison term in the US. While not rubber stamping the country as bad, she argued the justice system is broken.

Describing the conditions she faced during her months-long detention, Butina said that being placed in solitary confinement was “the most terrifying experience” of her life.

It’s very difficult when you have this little cell, very cold, just concrete and iron… Later I learned that by the United Nations, this is considered to be torture. Because it is torture… I still don’t understand why it was necessary. I guess they were trying to break my will.

However, that did not make any sense, Butina explained, sinсe she "didn’t have any secrets."

"I was just a student, believing in peace-building between the two countries."

She talked about how the outpouring of support from Russians helped keep her sane, and that she struggled to find the time to respond to the flood of letters she received.

Despite her harrowing experience, she said that she still believes in improving relations between the US and Russia, and that there are many “wonderful” Americans that she is still close friends with. She was less optimistic about the US justice system, however.

What happened to me definitely shows that America is losing its justice system. It actually has been lost.

Going forward, she told RT that she wants to continue her gun activism, but will also speak out for prisoners in both Russia and the United States.

Now that I have world recognition, I feel obligated, I feel responsible, to fight for those who are humiliated, who are unjustly accused, who are today forgotten, here in Russia and especially there in the United States.

She promised to continue talking about “the conditions of my imprisonment because a country should be measured on how it treats its prisoners.”

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