Prisons in Belarus are not empty. The country is one of the first in terms of the number of prisoners per capita. At first glance, the Belarusian prison is no different from foreign ones - gloomy concrete fences are surrounded by rows of barbed wire. But if you look inside, you can see the real life of prisoners and sometimes unbearable conditions of their detention.
What a Belarusian prison she is
A prison is a closed-type correctional institution with a chamber stay system. Prisoners leave their rooms only for daily short walks. The cells are designed for 4-10 prisoners.
Modern prisons in Belarus are not as bad as they say. Some prisoners are in cells equipped with a TV and even a DVD. This includes those who have committed particularly serious crimes, as well as repeat offenders and violators of the colony regime.
The Belarusian colony is an open correctional facility . Here, the prisoners are disbanded into units, sectors - like a military system. In the colony, convicts are housed in cockpits - cells reminiscent of hospital wards. The walls are papered, the windows have grilles and curtains. Each squad has its own “courtyard”, where in the fresh air it is allowed to communicate, play board games, smoke.
Colonies in Belarus are divided into 2 groups. The first includes persons previously not convicted. The second group consists of prisoners who have previously been in prison. Criminals are hired. Directions can be different - from the manufacture of furniture to sewing workwear.
The main feature of Belarusian prisons is the absence of “black” zones and the presence of “red” ones.
Mode
Prison regimes in Belarus can be general or strict. In the colonies they are divided into general, reinforced, strict, special. The main difference between Belarusian prison regimes is the permitted number of programs and dates throughout the year. This also includes restrictions on the limit of funds that a convict has the right to spend per month in a stall. A prisoner with an enhanced regime may serve his sentence with those who have a common regime. Criminals with the same regime get into special colonies of strict regime.
How does it all start
At first, the “novice” dwells at the checkpoint, where he is forced to sign certain documents - obligations to clearly fulfill the requirements of the colony chiefs and join the convicted sections. If the felon refuses to give written obligations, he will be punished: from 15 days in a punishment cell for violation of internal regulations. And it is not difficult for an experienced head of the colony to find such violations and prove them.
But this is only the beginning of the long wanderings of the rebellious "novice." Sooner or later, he surrenders and signs the necessary papers, because each prisoner must be covered by educational measures. This is a decree "from above." And only after that the convict can find imaginary calm in the walls of the colony.
All criminals are given work clothes and tarpaulin boots. When leaving the prison, the prisoner has to pay for their use.
Women's Prison
Belarus is considered a country with a high percentage of female prisoners. They constitute one tenth of all convicts in the country. This is more than in Ukraine, Europe and even Russia.
The average prison term for women is 5-6 years. The most common crimes are theft, possession of drugs, robbery and murder while intoxicated. Women's prisons in Belarus are Gomel colony 4 and Rechitsa colony 24.
The Belarusian women's prison has one problem - it is not tailored to women. Prisoners have to fulfill all the requirements that are intended for men. Women's prison in Belarus is quite severe. Residents are allowed to swim there once a week, plus a couple of extra hours are given for washing their hair. Anyone who violates this requirement shall be punished. Every second woman in prison suffers from inflammation. Even in severe frost, they are not allowed to take off their skirts, and “dudes” are offered as shoes, which do not warm at all and quickly break. Shoes are not allowed to dry indoors. It's hard to get an appointment with a doctor, and there is a problem with medications. An ambulance is called in emergency situations when a woman is already exhausted from pain.
In female Belarusian colonies, all prisoners work. For many, prison wages are their only income. The most profitable job is sewing military clothes. According to statistics, socially disorganized women who have earned mental problems are returning from prison to freedom. Most of them are free to commit crimes again.
Prison Escape
Prison breaks in Belarus are rare. But here there is an interesting story about the daring group escape of prisoners.
This high-profile event happened in 1982 in the Grodno prison. Then on its territory there were several workshops where prisoners worked. When the working day came to an end, 7 recidivists remained in one of the workshops. They called the controller and immediately strangled him. This was followed by the killing of an officer who came to the post. Dangerous criminals broke the door that blocked the corridor and cargo area, and thus entered the prison. Then they moved to the restricted area and were discovered by a security guard. The prisoners wanted to kill him, but the guard got ahead of them and started shooting himself. Two recidivists still managed to leave the main fence. They were free. But their joy was short-lived: one passerby immediately stopped and handed him back to prison, and the second was caught a month later.
As prisoners themselves describe Belarusian prisons
A colony is not a sanatorium or a hospital. People get there for breaking the law. So, they should feel “all the charm” of the punishment incurred. In all prisons without exception, there is harsh treatment of prisoners. But does it go beyond what is permitted and does it violate the rights of criminals? Here is how the prisoners describe the conditions of their stay in jail. According to them, Belarusian prisons hide the facts of real lawlessness and bullying of people.
- The convict has no legal protection.
- Prisoners are tortured, humiliated, insulted.
- Dirty and dark cells in which 2 m 2 is allocated to a person.
- Mattresses and pillows are dirty.
- Dishes in which food is distributed are poorly washed.
- Lice and scabies are the norm for prisons.
- Many people wear dirty and tattered underwear. As they say, in what they were caught, in that they left.
- Furniture is practically absent.
- Finding a job in the colony is problematic.
- Complaints of prisoners do not reach the leadership.
Despite numerous stories that are similar to each other, for the better in Belarus, changes for the better are not quick. However, the above negative is present in the world practice of imprisonment. It's just that in other countries they are struggling with this in other ways. You can often hear from foreigners that the Belarusian prison is a paradise.
The most terrible prison
There is such a city with the mystical name Deep. The worst prison in Belarus is there. Colony 13 of the special regime horrifies the inhumane treatment of prisoners. The mode here is really strict. Human life is easy. According to eyewitnesses, prisoners are not assisted at all. At a temperature of +39 they are sent to work, seriously ill patients are not provided with medical care. Many out of hopelessness commit suicide. Those who leave colony 13 are struggling to adapt to life.
In 2014, Belarus considered a proposal to create a separate colony with unbearable conditions. The head of state suggested placing drug dealers there, but on condition that there really are a lot of those in the country. However, to this day, a special colony for drug distributors has not been created.
Amnesty and the replacement of punishment
The amnesty law comes out once every several years. According to it, many prisoners can reduce their sentence by 1 year.
Prisons of the Republic of Belarus provide for the replacement of punishment. Any prisoner has the right to early release or change of punishment to a milder one. Claim it for those who have realized their guilt and firmly embarked on the path of correction. Another necessary condition is that most of the basic punishment must be served by the prisoner.
List of Belarusian prisons
1. Prison 8 (Minsk Region, Zhodino, Sovetskaya St., 22A).
2. Prison 1 (Grodno, Kirov St., 1).
3. Prison 4 (Mogilev, Krupskaya St., 99A).
These are not all prisons in Belarus. The list is supplemented by correctional colonies, pre-trial detention centers, medical and labor dispensaries. There are 19 penal colonies in the country. There are 6 pre-trial detention centers, of which 1 is located in Minsk. This is Detention Center 1 or “Volodarka” (Volodarsky St., 2).