Since the beginning of 2022, the number of prisoners in the FSIN system has decreased by 32 thousand people

As of January 1, 2023, there are 433 thousand prisoners in the penitentiary system (penal system) of Russia. This is reported on site FSIN. Since the beginning of 2022, the number of prisoners in the penitentiary system has decreased by 32 thousand people. As of January 1, 2022, there were 465,000 prisoners in the FSIN system.

A sharp decrease in the number of prisoners in the penitentiary system was observed in the fall of 2022. According to the Federal Penitentiary Service, by October 1, the number of prisoners dropped to 453,000 people, and by November 1, to 439,000 people. Accordingly, by autumn the number of prisoners decreased by 26.4 thousand people. Of these, the number of men in the colonies, according to Mediazona (recognized as a foreign agent), decreased by 23 thousand. In updated statistics as of January 31, 2023, the FSIN provided only the total number of prisoners, without specifying the number of convicted women and men.

In the fall, it was reported that PMC Wagner was recruiting prisoners from Russian colonies to participate in a military operation in Ukraine. On January 5, the creator of the Wagner PMC announced that the first group of former prisoners who participated in the special operation completed a six-month contract, and all criminal records were cleared from them. Eva Merkacheva, a member of the Human Rights Council, said that the prisoners were pardoned by a secret presidential decree. The Kremlin confirmed that the pardon procedure was carried out in accordance with Russian law. The number of prisoners sent to Ukraine was not reported.

Lusine Balasyan