Life imprisonment was introduced in Russia on December 17, 1992 by the law 4123-I. Courts could not sentence criminals to life imprisonment at that time. Only those who had been sentenced to death penalty could have their sentences commuted to life imprisonment. When the new Criminal Code of Russia was adopted in 1996, life imprisonment became a separate punishment.
Article 57 part 2 of the Criminal Code of Russia forbids women, men that were below the age of 18 at the time of the offense and men that were over the age of 65 at sentencing from being sentenced to life imprisonment. The maximum penalty available in those cases is 25 years imprisonment for ordinary crimes, or 30 years imprisonment in exceptional circumstances. If the offender was below the age of 18 at the time of the offense, the maximum sentence is 10 years imprisonment.
From the year 2002, changes were made in Criminal Code of Russia. Multiple crimes with the same subject and direct object (simply - one article of Criminal Code) are counted as one crime for the sentence (counts separately for each offender), unless:
Thus, multiple life sentences are redundant, unless the offender is dangerous to others.
Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment are held in maximum security prisons separately from other criminals (e.g. VK-240/2 "White Swan" in Solikamsk). After 25 years, a criminal sentenced to life imprisonment may apply to a court for "conditional early release" (условно-досрочное освобождение) if the prisoner made no serious violations of prison rules in the last three years, and did not commit a serious crime during imprisonment. Parole, if granted, may carry restrictions, such as that the subject may not change residence, visit certain locations, and so forth. If the criminal commits a new offense, the court may retract the parole. If the application for parole is declined however, a new application can be filed 3 years later.
As life imprisonment was introduced in Russia in 1992 (as a pardon at death penalty replacement), if no changes in law are made, the first prisoners will become eligible for parole in 2017 .
As of August 1, 2010 there were 1729 prisoners serving life sentences in Russia.[1]
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Murder, attempted murder (under certain circumstances), terrorism-related, genocide for men aged 18–65; no life imprisonment sentence for all women, and men over the age of 65 .
Life prisoners are taken separately from another prisoners in cells with 2 to 4 other inmates, unless he is dangerous to others. When they are being moved outside of cells and walking cages they must remain handcuffed.
The president can pardon prisoners by reducing the minimum to and/or granting parole after 17 years.
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