Russian Prison Service to Match Compatible Cellmates

June 19, 2014

Cellmates in some Russian prisons will be matched up on the basis of their psychological compatibility as part of a pilot project announced on Thursday by the Federal Penal Service.

The project will be implemented in the regions of Krasnoyarsk, Irkutsk, Komi and Bashkortostan, and will affect a range of different prison facilities, including a women's prison and a maximum-security colony.

The initiative is expected to prevent the "strong" prisoners from bullying the "weak" ones Anatoly Rudny, first deputy director of the Federal Penal Service, told Rossiiskaya Gazeta on Thursday.

It was not immediately clear how psychological compatibility would be determined for purposes of the pilot project.

Russia has the world's third-largest prison population. According to Rudny, 556,000 people — more than half of whom are recidivists — are currently serving out their sentences in Russia's 727 prison facilities.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue