The Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Pskov region confirmed the violation of labour rights of prisoners in the penal colony near Sebezh after Artur Gaiduk’s appeal
Press Release, 23.01.2025
Photo by zona-mag.ru
In December, relatives of people serving sentences in penal colony No. 6 near Sebezh contacted Artur Gaiduk, a deputy of the Pskov Regional Assembly from Yabloko. They complained about the unfair payment of their relatives. Artur Gaiduk sent an appeal to the regional Public Prosecutor’s Office.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office conducted an inspection, in which the applicants and specialists from the state labour inspectorate of the Pskov region also participated, and came to the conclusion that the convicts were provided with the necessary amount of work, but the labour productivity was below the production quota. It follows from the response of the Public Prosecutor’s Office that in each case, workers were paid up to the minimum wage in proportion to the production standards they had met, and after all deductions, no less than 25% of the accrued amount was credited to their accounts.
However, other violations of federal legislation requirements by the administration of the penal colony were revealed. A representation was made to the head of the colony.
It was reported that in September, one of the prisoners was assigned to work part-time with time-based pay. In fact, he worked a full day. The administration of the penal colony did not ensure proper accounting of the time he worked, due to which the prisoner’s salary was not paid in full and is now subject to recalculation.
In addition, the workers were not familiarised with their work duties, time standards, prices for the manufacture of products and the provision of services in workshops, and divisions of the production sector, which is also a violation.
Appeals to deputies from the Yabloko from prisoners are not uncommon. In the closed system of the Federal Penitentiary Service, it is difficult for people to defend their rights, but the intervention of independent politicians, the regional ombudsman for human rights and regulatory authorities helps to do this.
For example, in June, after Artur Gaiduk’s appeal, violations of the law on health protection were found in the same penal colony No. 6, and a prisoner who had not received the medical care recommended by the doctor for a long time was finally operated on.
ARTUR GAIDUK
is a deputy of the Pskov Regional Assembly, the Yabloko faction.
Chairman of the Pskov regional branch of Yabloko.
Ambulabce doctor of the Pskov Ambulance Station
Posted: January 23rd, 2025 under Human Rights, The Yabloko Faction in the Pskov Regional Assembly, Yabloko's Regional Branches.