The Prison Service of the Czech Republic not only provided the most detailed information about the new prison, but also invited people to look at the new facility literally on the eve of the arrival of "permanent guests." The prison in the town of Strazh pod Ralskem is located about 100 kilometers north of Prague. Previously, the town was surrounded by a Soviet military training ground, whose garrison was located right in it. Now, by a cruel irony of fate, Russian will be spoken in the town again, this time by prisoners and also by guards, whose condition of employment was a good knowledge of Russian.
Does the Czech Republic really need a special prison for especially dangerous Russian-speaking criminals?
"After Operation Alcatraz, we realized that it is very much needed," says Kamila Meclova, Director General of the Prison Service. "Alcatraz was a brilliant operation by the Czech police and our service. A year and a half ago, Russian-speaking prisoners declared a hunger strike. Its purpose was to cause chaos, and a riot in 11 Czech prisons was planned next. The riot was very carefully organized; the main and only task of its organizers was to free four leaders of the Russian mafia from prison. After the successful operation, we realized that we need to take preventive measures, and first of all, build new, well-equipped prisons."
A brief historical note. The hunger strike was declared by 177 Russian-speaking prisoners in November 2001. Police special forces carried out their operation before the hunger strike escalated into a planned riot and the escape of four criminals. Later, the investigation established that prisoners freely used mobile phones in prisons - wealthy criminal groups were able to bribe exactly as many guards as they needed, and, of course, there was no shortage of weapons. It was simply that Operation Alcatraz was so powerful and unexpected that the criminals did not have time to understand what was happening.
What does the new prison look like and how does it differ from others? The Prison Service has acquired special equipment that will detect any mobile phone within the facility. Neither prison staff nor casual visitors from among journalists can use a cell phone. In the new prison, all cells are double-occupancy. Experience has shown that in cells for 18 people it is much easier to organize disturbances. Now prisoners will not even know their neighbor down the corridor. In the latter, by the way, video cameras will operate continuously. The furniture cannot be broken, unscrewed, cut, or used as a weapon, as was the case during the riot. Practically all the furniture, if it can be called that, is made of concrete. Each cell has a small room with a sink and toilet, but no mirror - so that it cannot be broken and someone cut with the shards. Windows do not open; the glass is bulletproof.
Distrust of corrupt guards led to members of a certain group being transferred from one prison to another every month. This practice was designed so that within a month none of the prisoners would have time to strike up "friendly relations" not only with guards but also with cellmates, and quietly organize any disturbances. By constantly transferring prisoners from one prison to another, the Prison Service provided them with a decent sightseeing tour of the whole Czech Republic.
During the investigation after Operation Alcatraz, it turned out that prisoners communicated not only by mobile phones, but even by ordinary letters. Law enforcement agencies have the right to read prisoners' mail, but among prison staff there was a shortage of people who knew Russian. Now it is different - Russian language training is one of the priorities in the training of guards. The Prison Service even published a special dictionary of Russian profanity and hired a teacher who teaches guards how to respond "with all their heart" and "put an impudent person in his place."
"Information in the Czech press that the new prison in Strazh pod Ralskem is a special prison for Russians is somewhat embellished," says Kamila Meclova. "All aggressive and dangerous prisoners will be placed in this prison, regardless of whether they speak Czech, Russian, or French. But there are relatively many prisoners from the countries of the former Soviet Union in our prisons, and I can say that 50 of them are candidates for placement in this facility."
By the way, the new prison is designed for only 40 people. A few more statistics: 1,674 foreigners are currently spending their weekdays and weekends in Czech prisons. Of these, 517 are Ukrainians. Citizens of Russia are much fewer in Czech prisons - 60 people, the same number, incidentally, as citizens of small Moldova.
The cost of keeping one prisoner is about 800 crowns per person per day. Therefore, the Czech government has considered whether foreign prisoners could be sent to serve their sentences in their home countries. However, it turned out that not all countries find it beneficial to exchange sinners - for example, Ukrainian prisons hold far fewer Czechs than Ukrainians in Czech prisons. Therefore, it is not beneficial for Ukraine to conclude an agreement on prisoner exchange. According to unofficial data, Ukraine demanded additional payment for its citizens, which the Czech side did not agree to. But, according to experts, it would be beneficial for the Czech Republic to conclude such a treaty at almost any price, since the prospect of Ukrainian criminals learning Czech, exchanging know-how, and forming friendly relations with their Czech colleagues during their stay in a Czech prison is also not very beneficial to the Czech state.
Having learned about the living conditions in Czech correctional institutions, I will say only one thing: I cannot recommend it to anyone. Think for yourself: a cell smaller than small (at the rate of 4 square meters per person), you can get some fresh air once a day in a small concrete yard with a grate overhead. You can receive a parcel from relatives and close friends twice a year, usually for a birthday and at Christmas. You can see visiting relatives for three hours a month. Only 40% of prisoners work; for the rest there is no work.
Anyone who still thinks that prison is not so bad will change their mind after the first day - so say experienced people. On the first day, you will be stripped naked, all your clothes will be taken away, you will realize that no one will ask you with whom you would like to share a cell. There are prisons in the Czech Republic where more than 10 people are in a cell, and there are prisons where you have to stand in line in front of the toilet. Prisoners are fed at the rate of 45 crowns per day, and that is actually not much. Not to mention problems such as violence among prisoners, sexual harassment, and so on.
A problem of Czech prisons, and not only Czech prisons, is the fact that the number of dangerous criminals among inmates is constantly increasing. The number of life-sentenced prisoners is gradually growing in prisons (currently there are 25, including one woman), and instead of thieves and petty fraudsters, more and more rapists, racketeers, and contract killers are arriving. That is why two more pre-trial detention centers and two prisons for particularly dangerous criminals will be opened in the Czech Republic this year.