Life imprisonment is the toughest and worst punishment of criminals in Russia. One of the places where criminals are serving their sentences is the penal colony (IK) with the unofficial name of Polar Owl. The prison received such a name in honor of a statue of a noble northern bird erected on the territory of the institution.
Location
PKU IK-18 UFSIN - the official name of the special regime colony for life prisoners. It is located on the border of the Northern Urals and the tundra, in the small village of Kharp, Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. This place of detention is the most remote in Russia. The real link for especially dangerous criminals is the Polar Owl (prison).
Where is this place of detention located? The prison is located near the turbulent river Sob, surrounded by majestic mountains. The nature surrounding the colony is picturesque and breathtaking. But the climate is harsh and merciless. The air temperature stays in the region of 40 degrees below zero for six months. Winter comes in mid-autumn and ends in early summer. The rest of the time - heavy rains and winds. Polar nights - a heavy load on the body, taking away strength, vitality and hope of prisoners.
Prison history
The village of Harp was founded in 1961. The history of the village began with a camp for exiled prisoners who built railway tracks. In 1981, the first batch of criminals was brought here in the amount of 150 people. This year is considered the founding year of Polar Owl Investment Company. Since then, the prison has been replenished annually with new prisoners who have been brought in from other cities, regions and regions.
To date, the IC is intended for especially dangerous criminals who are imprisoned for life. About 400 criminals are serving their sentences here. More than 600 seats are empty.
Conditions of detention
For convicts, several stages of serving a term are provided. Legislation allows the possibility of moving from one zone to another as an encouragement or, conversely, a punishment.
For those who are interested in what the prison looks like - the photo below.
The first stage for incoming prisoners. The conditions of detention are tightened. Criminals are not allowed to lie down or sit down during the day. The daily routine is difficult - at 6 a.m. rise, at 11 p.m. sleep. The number of visits and admissible parcels or transmissions is minimized. You can switch to another mode after 10 years of serving the term and only in the case of decent behavior, lack of complaints. Such is the strict zone "Polar Owl"
. The living conditions here are very difficult.
There is also a common zone "Polar Owl"
. Here the conditions of detention for criminals are more loyal. Several long-term visits (4 hours each) per year are allowed, it is possible to buy the necessary things from the funds of a personal cash account.
Who is sentenced to life imprisonment?
More recently, such a punishment was replaced by the death penalty; today, especially dangerous criminals who have committed serious criminal offenses are sentenced to imprisonment until the end of their days. Who is at risk of appearing in Polar Owl?
- Saboteurs.
- Criminals committing immoral and dangerous acts for society.
- Distributors of drugs in large quantities.
- Terrorists and organizers.
- Killers, on whose conscience more than one victim.
- Persons who repeatedly violated the sexual integrity of children under the age of 14.
- Repeat offenders (convicted under the same article more than once).
- "Suicide bombers" (not executed in connection with the introduction of a moratorium on the abolition of such punishment).
Who is not condemned for life?
- Juvenile delinquents and minors (under 18 years old).
- Women.
- Older men who have reached the age of 65 by the time the crime is committed.
- Persons who voluntarily agreed to cooperate with the investigation prior to the trial.
Parole
Parole is a powerful incentive for criminals. Residents of the Polar Owl zone also dream of being free. Theoretically, people who have no penalties and comments can leave the walls of the colony. Special regime prison inmates are no exception. After 25 years in prison, the offender has the right to appeal for early release. In practice, two such cases are known. Both prisoners were denied.
Famous prisoners
The Polar Owl is a prison in which some of Russia's most dangerous criminals are imprisoned for life.
"Bitsevsky maniac." A. Pichushkin is a serial killer who committed crimes in a Moscow forest park for 15 years. Killed more than 50 people. He randomly chose victims, killed because of a bad mood and just like that. Subsequently, pleaded guilty, boasted and proud of his deeds.
D. Evsyukov is a former police major who committed an armed attack on passers-by in 2009. In a state of intoxication, he shot at people who came across in the way. He was detained in a supermarket, where he shot two people. Seven citizens received injuries of varying severity. The prisoner himself claims that he does not remember anything.
N. Kulaev is a Chechen terrorist. The only surviving member of the gang that captured the school in Beslan in 2004. For two and a half days, the hostages were held in the building of a mined school. As a result of the attack, 333 people died, including 186 children. Eight hundred citizens received injuries of varying severity.
Colonies for life prisoners in Russia
For especially dangerous criminals, special regime prisons are provided. There are five such institutions in Russia, including the Polar Owl. The prison is not the harshest among the rest. What are the analogues of the "Polar Owl"?
IR-5. "Vologda nickel." The colony is located in a former monastery, criminals are kept in cells. Escape is not possible, since the building is surrounded by a lake, and the only way out, a wooden platform, is carefully guarded. Mass events and contact between prisoners are prohibited, the requirements are increased, and restrictions are minimized. Criminal cameras are searched daily.
IR-56. "Black Golden Eagle" (Sverdlovsk region). A colony, the content of which does not differ from other prisons of a special regime. Today it contains about 300 life prisoners, on whose account more than 700 innocent victims.
IR-6. "Black Dolphin" (Orenburg region). The largest prison in which about seven hundred especially dangerous criminals are imprisoned. You will not envy criminals - everyone is responsible for violation of one. The light does not turn off even at night, moving around the building is possible only with blindfolds, accompanied by two guards. On command, the prisoners take a special pose (knees bent, fingers spread open, head thrown back, and mouth open), in which they move or wait for further instructions.
IR-2. "White Swan" (Perm Territory). One of the toughest prisons in the system. Dangerous repeat offenders, maniacs, killers and members of criminal gangs live here. There has not been a single escape in the history of the prison - prisoners are additionally guarded by trained dogs and are under surveillance by cameras.