Rustam Minnikhanov takes part in a signing ceremony of a cooperation agreement between Russian Ministry of Justice, Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia and the Government of Tatarstan

On February 16, in Moscow, Minister of Justice of the Russian Federation Konstantin Chuychenko, Director of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia Arkady Gostev and Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov signed a trilateral agreement aimed at cooperation on the implementation of the provisions of the Concept for the development of the Russian Penal Correction System until 2030, and increasing the efficiency of interaction between the Russian Ministry of Justice, , the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia and the Government of the Republic of Tatarstan.

In particular, they discussed the coordination of efforts to expand the network of correctional centres in Tatarstan, including on the basis of commercial enterprises, which will create additional places for forced labour and more frequent use of non-custodial criminal penalties.

It is planned that in 2022, areas of correctional centres will be established in Tatarstan to employ at least 400 persons sentenced to forced labor. The convicts will work in mechanical engineering, production of building materials, housing and industrial construction, agriculture and other areas of the economy.

Chuychenko emphasized that in 2022 it is planned to establish at least 400 jobs in correctional centres in each entity of the Russian Federation based on regional property and property of enterprises and regional organizations. By 2021, about 15,000 places for those sentenced to forced labor have been created in correctional centres. In the future, by 2024, this figure will be close to 100,000. According to the Minister of Justice, the use of forced labor as a form of punishment facilitates the social adaptation of convicts, their obtaining labor skills and employment opportunities, thereby reducing recidivism.

Minnikhanov, supported the initiative to develop a network of correctional centres in the region, including on the basis of commercial enterprises, and emphasized that many of those currently in detention are good specialists and could be useful for the national economy.

The meeting also discussed the construction of a new modern pretrial detention centre with a capacity limit of 1,000 places in Kazan. Gostev explained this will be a new institution that meets all modern requirements and includes courtrooms, offices for lawyers, members of the Public Monitoring Commission, as well as offices for prosecutors and investigators. The Office will be secure and equipped with the latest technology.

The signing of the agreement was another practical step aimed at further fruitful cooperation between the parties and the implementation of the provisions of the Concept for the development of the Russian Penal Correction System until 2030.