In Kalmykia, warders of penal colony accused of beating prisoners

Yesterday, on January 20, the investigating bodies of Kalmykia reported that a criminal case was instituted against officials from the penal colony No. 1 of the Department for the Republic of Kalmykia of the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service (known as FSIN).

According to investigators, in one of the office rooms of the punishment cell and cell-type rooms of the penal colony, the suspects unlawfully used physical force and special means against prisoners.

At present, the investigators consider the question concerning the pre-trial restriction measure against the suspects. This was reported on January 20 by the website of the Investigating Department for the Republic of Kalmykia of the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF).

It is reported that the criminal case was instituted following the results of the inspection provoked by the article published by the media and entitled "A FSIN official shoots on camera mass abuse of prisoners in Kalmykia" and by the video showing how FSIN officials were beating prisoners.

On January 16, the video showing the abuse of prisoners was published by the website of the "360 Moscow Region" TV Channel and by YouTube.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.