Life imprisonment in Russia

Life imprisonment in Russia was introduced 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.

Overview

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.

Since 2002 changes have been 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), with these exceptions:

• Crimes committed by minors are counted as the first, but only the final result is taken into the total sentence.
• If the special object of the crime has changed or de facto never been, its counts as attempt to special subject crime in addition to the committed crime.
• If the offender neither knows nor sees the special subject, it doesn't count as a special subject crime (but it may be as "regular" crime).

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 has made no serious violations of prison rules, and has not committed 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.^{[citation needed]}

As of September 1, 2012 there were 1805 prisoners serving life sentences in Russia.

Possible sentencing, but not mandatory, for

Murder, attempted murder (under certain circumstances), terrorism, genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity

Conditions

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.

Presidential pardon

The president can pardon prisoners by reducing the minimum to and/or granting parole after 17 years.