Russia Refuses to Free Pregnant Prisoner

Vladimir Lukin, Russia's human rights commissioner, refused to comment to ABC News on why Bakhmina has not been pardoned. He said, "All that we can tell you is that she is fine, everything is in order and she doesn't want to be bothered."

While many Russians sympathize with Bakhmina's plight, others are unforgiving and feel that she was part of a machine that stole from Russia and that she should serve her full sentence.

A recent survey by the Levada Center found that 36 percent of Russians said that Bakhmina should be released, but 16 percent said that the court was right to refuse her appeal. Nearly half of the country, 48 percent, said that they did not have any opinion on the matter.

"To not release a pregnant woman with two children on parole, especially when it's contrary to routine practice, makes this regime look highly inhuman," said Lipman.