RUSSIA: PRISONS OVERFLOW AS CRIME RATE SOARS

(23 Nov 1995) Russian/Nat

As Russia's crime rate soars, its prisons are overflowing. Jails are now housing 80 men in cells built for only 15.

Lack of investment in the prison system and a breakdown in the legal network have brought about these inhuman conditions.

APTV visited the prison in Ekatarinburg, which has the reputation of being Russia's most overcrowded jail.

This is just one of the communal cells in detention centre number one in Ekatarinburg. It's supposed to hold a maximum of 15 men, but in fact there are about sixty.

They are locked up in this room for almost 23 hours a day, causing the temperature to soar to 35 degrees (C) Celsius and an indescribable stench.

There are not enough beds, so prisoners have to sleep in shifts, sharing the same sheets. Each cell has only one tap and one toilet, - an open hole in the floor.

There is no privacy and sanitation is minimal. Tuberculosis and diphtheria are rife, skin complaints are widespread.

SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
There's everything here - lice and bugs and other such things. Everything is done deliberately to make life difficult. There's blood all over the place- just look at the walls - they're covered in blood. That's our blood - human blood. They do everything
to degrade and kill human beings.
SUPER CAPTION: Volodya, prisoner

Prisoners get two meals a day, the fare is mainly a far from appetizing fish soup. Many prisoners are undernourished. Their families are barely able to pay the money needed to send them a monthly food-parcel.

The head cook complains that there isn't enough money; she can only buy the bare essentials.

SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
We haven't had meat for a year, sausage-meat and fish only intermittently, right now we have vegetables, potatoes and cabbage but nothing with protein. They say it's because there's no money.
SUPER CAPTION: Polina Kirillova, Head of prison canteen

This prison was built in 1811 for 3,200 inmates, now it holds 8,500. This leaves every prisoner with just 0.4 square metres of space.

In the last years of Soviet rule no new prisons were built.

The breakdown of the legal system has also contributed to prison overcrowding.

Many inmates have been waiting for years to go on trial or should have been released on parole. But the courts haven't dealt with their cases because of the backlog of work.

SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
People are sitting here waiting to go on trial. We haven't been found guilty yet. We haven't been sentenced. We've already been waiting here for two years. Maybe I'll get off, maybe they'll give me a short sentence.
SUPERCAPTION: Sasha, prisoner

Sergei was convicted of two murders six years ago and has been waiting on death row ever since. But the legal system is in such disarray that it can't carry out his execution nor let him clear his name.

SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
I didn't do it, but I haven't got a chance of proving my innocence.
SUPER CAPTION: Sergei, Prisoner on Death Row

Prisoners get fresh air in an small exercise yard, it's only ten metres square. Usually they're outside for 20 minutes a day, but sometimes the guards can't be bothered to let them out so they don't get out at all.

The prison's governor acknowledges that the situation is serious. Six months ago prisoners, demanding better conditions, took visiting families hostage. Although the hostages were later released the inmates' lot did not improve.

SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
SUPER CAPTION: Major Alexander Lesnyk, Prison commander

There is no let-up in the flow of prisoners. A new batch of young inmates arrives regularly.


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