Crime and punishment: 25 years in a Russian penal colony

Map of Russia and Russian Flag adapted from images at state.gov

The first inmates pardoned from the death penalty will be released in 2017. They have not seen the world outside of the colony for 25 years. Everything they know is based on what they’ve seen on TV and read in letters. What are they going to do, what do they feel?

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Fyodor Telkov, Denis Tarasov – December 11, 2015)

[Text with photos here http://rbth.com/multimedia/pictures/2015/12/10/crime-and-punishment-25-years-in-russian-penal-colony_549765]

Penal colony #56, or Black Eagle, is a place where those convicted of serious crimes serve their sentences. 260 murderers live here under one of the strictest regimes in Russia. In the USSR it was the only colony for prisoners on death row.

In 1993 a moratorium was introduced on the death penalty (initially as a temporary measure, and since 1997 permanent). Today, Black Eagle prisoners are divided into two groups: those whose death penalty was mitigated to 25 years’ imprisonment and those serving life.

The first inmates pardoned from the death penalty will be released in 2017. They have not seen the world outside of the colony for 25 years. Everything they know is based on what they’ve seen on TV and read in letters. What are they going to do, what do they feel?

“Of course, it’s exiting! Life has changed radically. But I do a lot of texting and watch TV here…I have a nice family that will not let me down. I will try to live as a normal human being and leave something good at the end of life. I will bring up my grandchildren.” Victor Lushov, 1952

“I spent 5 years on death row. When my death penalty was reduced to 25 years, I realized that I had to return to my native land. I’m a villager. I operated a wood processing machine, and was good at frame making. I can make furniture, I can do everything!” Alexey Pechugin, born 1971

“Here we learn different trades. I’m able to operate woodworking machines. I have friends in the business, so I think I’ll go and work for them. My home is Udmurtia, where my wife and son are… my son also works in the woodworking trade.” Aleksey Isupov, born 1973

“Some land in jail in their 20s, but I was 41 years old. There’s a difference. The world is certainly scary! But, thank God, UFOs don’t fly around yet. All these “smartphones” are a bit tricky… I’ll have to learn how to press these keys. Unfortunately, there’s no computer science class, but maybe it’s better not to know everything.” Viktor Zaporozhsky, born 1954

The colony is in the Northern Urals 615 km from Yekaterinburg, in the village of Lozvinsky, somewhere in the endless taiga. In Russia there are 4 penal colonies for life prisoners, #56 is considered the best in terms of conditions. Those sentenced to 25 years are able to communicate with relatives, receive parcels, and work on the prison farm.

Life prisoners live in a separate building, in cells for one or two. 23 hours a day they are kept in cells (6 by 4 square meters), 1 hour a day they have a walk in a special room without a roof. They sleep with the lights on, during the day lying in beds is prohibited. They can read books or write letters. No TV, no toilet in the room, shower once a week.

The prisoners should not forget what they are here for. Each morning the guards read aloud a description of their crimes, and a sign is hung on the doors of their cells with the same.

The head of the colony Subhan Dadashov has been in his post for 30 years, which is more than a long sentence. He says candidly that although he knows all the prisoners personally, he would not hesitate to bring back the death penalty: there’s nobody to feel sorry for.

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