The head of a prison colony in Primorye, who ordered the mass shaving of female prisoners, has died.

About death Oksana Gritskova a source familiar with the situation told NeMoskva.

"The cause of death is listed as cancer. When human rights activists last visited the colony, Gritskova looked haggard. It's possible the illness developed due to the stress of inspections and disciplinary action. 
“It’s a holiday in the colony, no matter how cynical it may sound,” told the source.

"NeMoskva" reported on the Primorskaya penal colony: for years, staff there abused female prisoners.  

Colony "became famous" The news spread nationwide in early October last year, when it became known that, on the orders of the facility's warden, 50 women had their heads forcibly shaved, allegedly due to a lice infestation. No evidence of lice infestation was presented, but prisoners were able to tell human rights activists through their families that one of the women, who refused to have her hair shaved voluntarily, had been beaten. 

The prison administration denied the abuse. A criminal case was later opened against Oksana Gritskova.