Prisoners are shocked: video calls to relatives have been banned in all Russian colonies

This was done “until further notice”

All Russian colonies received a demand, signed by the Deputy Director of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia, Alexander Khabarov, to stop providing video communication services to prisoners. Since it appeared in most Russian colonies, the lives of hundreds of thousands of people have changed. Social ties (and this is the concept that officials like to use) have become stronger. But the other day they were cut off… What is behind this – a MK columnist, a member of the Human Rights Council, looked into it.

“Hello, Vaska, is that you? You, for sure! Let me take a look at you, son. How I lost weight. I thought I’d never see you… I couldn’t get to you with my sores.”

“Expensive! How are you Alive and well, thank God! You smile. And I couldn’t think of anything for myself… But now I see for myself that everything is fine.”

“Dad, dad! I miss you so much… And they praised me at school today! Do you see the certificate?

These are excerpts of dialogues between loved ones and convicts via video link. In total, more than 1.5 thousand video taxi machines have been installed in Russian colonies. Devices, by calling which you can not only hear the voice, but also see the convicted person, are available in all regions. To say that their appearance was greeted with joy is to say nothing. It was a breakthrough. And first of all, video taxi machines helped those who are serving their sentences away from home (and these are still the absolute majority). Just imagine the situation: an old mother needs to go on a date with her son a thousand kilometers away, and she has neither health nor money for this. As a result, video calls have essentially become an alternative to short-term dates. I know dozens of stories when one video call calmed a loved one, and he no longer ran to different authorities screaming that his relative was dying in prison. Here’s a typical example. A woman approached me whose husband is in, let’s say, not the most prosperous colony. She had heard a lot about her, read a lot, and when he suddenly stopped writing, she imagined the worst. The unfortunate woman cut off the telephone numbers of human rights activists, wrote to the prosecutor’s office, etc. And even though she was told that everything was fine with him, she didn’t believe it until she talked to her husband via video taxi.

Video calls are absolutely indispensable for convicted parents (most often dads). The father can listen to the child via video, encourage him, that is, at least participate in his life. It’s priceless. On average, prisoners made more than 300 thousand video calls per year. We thought this was definitely the beginning, but… It turned out to be the end.

How did it happen that they decided to destroy a good initiative? The letter, signed by the deputy director of the Federal Penitentiary Service, says: “In order to prevent the commission of illegal actions by convicts… when carrying out telephone conversations using the video communication function, it is necessary to organize work to stop the provision of these services until further notice. Report the results by January 17, 2024.” Already reported. Video communication was turned off in all regions.

What kind of illegal actions could the convicts commit on video? They talk about a certain incident that occurred in the Mordovian colony. Allegedly, the prisoner there was seen on video molesting a young girl.

The issue of control over video calls has not been objectively resolved (the censor does not monitor how such negotiations are going on). At the other end, the convicted person can be shown anything or anyone. Theoretically, one of the marginal relatives could bring a minor to the screen for some indecent acts. This is a crime for which all participants (on both sides of the screen) must be held accountable. In general, this can be prevented. For example, video recording all such negotiations. But does this mean that it was necessary to turn off video communication everywhere? It’s like cutting off the head to cure a headache. Aren’t they trying to hand over prohibited items to prisoners in parcels and packages? And how. But this did not become a reason for a widespread ban on parcels and transfers. Don’t accidents happen during long dates? They happen. And again, no one began to ban them everywhere.

This happened with video calls, since their status is “suspended”, they are not fully legalized, they are not prescribed in the law. And it is in this direction that we need to work.

“Bring back video calls!” – people ask (I have received many requests through social networks these days). This is exactly what I ask the Ministry of Justice to do (I sent an official letter to the minister). You can’t implement a probation project with one hand, which is aimed at returning a fallen person to society, and with the other hand, cut off his connection with loved ones.