Russian Federation

Total prison population:
433,006
Country
Russian Federation
Ministry responsible
Ministry of Justice
Prison administration
Federal Service for the Implementation of Punishment
Contact address

Zhitnaya street 14, GSP-1, 119991 Moscow, Russian Federation
Russia

Telephone
Head of prison administration
Arkady Gostev, Director

Prison population data

Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners) 433,006
at 1.1.2023 (national prison administration)
Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population) 300
based on an estimated national population of 144.5 million at beginning of January 2023 (from Russian Federal State Statistics Service figures)
Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population) 25.5%
(1.11.2022 - prisoners held in pre-trial SIZO institutions or facilities functioning as SIZOs)
Female prisoners (percentage of prison population) 8.9%
(1.11.2022)
Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population) 0.2%
(1.12.2021 - prisoners in juvenile colonies)
Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population) 7.1%
(2020)
Number of establishments / institutions 872
(March 2022 - 204 pre-trial SIZO institutions, 642 corrective colonies, 8 prisons, 18 juvenile colonies)
Official capacity of prison system 714,253
(31.1.2021)
Occupancy level (based on official capacity) 67.0%
(31.1.2021)

Prison population trend

Year Prison population total Prison population rate
1,060,404 729
980,151 675
847,004 588
823,403 577
883,436 622
864,197 609
755,651 528
677,287 471
646,085 448
602,176 416
523,928 363
465,896 322

Prison population total

Prison population rate

Pre-trial/remand prison population: trend

The table below gives an indication of the recent trend in the pre-trial/remand prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.

It consists of the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that pre-trial/remand prisoners constituted on that day.  

The final column shows the pre-trial/remand population rate per 100,000 of the national population. 

                                                 RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Year

Number in
pre-trial/remand
imprisonment

Percentage
of total
prison population

Pre-trial/remand
population rate
(per 100,000 of
national population)

2000
2005
2010
2015
2020

232,864
161,810
119,010
117,759
104,220

25.2%
19.7%
14.5%
18.2%
21.6%

160
113
83
80
72

2022

112,225

25.5%

78

It should be noted that the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners fluctuates from day to day, month to month and year to year. Consequently the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.                                                      

The pre-trial/remand population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities. 

Female prison population: trend

The table below gives an indication of the trend in the female prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.

It consists of the number of female prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that female prisoners constituted on that day. 

The final column shows the female prison population rate per 100,000 of the national population.

                                              RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Year

Number of
female
prisoners

Percentage
of total
prison population

Female prison
population rate
(per 100,000 of
national population)

2002
2006
2010
2015
2020

53,683
58,400
67,900
52,495
40,026

5.8%
6.7%
8.1%
8.1%
8.1%

37.0
41.0
47.6
36.4
27.7

2022

39,153

8.9%

27.1

The number of female prisoners fluctuates and so the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.  

The female prison population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities.

(If the rate were calculated on the basis of the number of females in the national population it would of course be approximately double the figure in the final column).

Prison population trend up to 2000

The figures below give an indication of the prison population trend in the years up to 2000. They supplement the more recent figures that are shown at the foot of the Overview page and in the graphs below.

                                        RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Year

Prison
population
total

Prison population rate
(per 100,000 of
national population)

1990
1992
1995
1998
2000

698,900
722,636
920,685
1,009,863
1,060,404

473
487
622
688
729

 

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