WRITTEN QUESTION E-3811/00 by Patricia McKenna (Verts/ALE) to the Council. Prison reform in Russia.
Date: 2000-12-07
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Russia, common foreign and security policy, prison system

C 174 E/152

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

19.6.2001

(2001/C 174 E/157)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3811/00

by Patricia McKenna (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(7 December 2000)

Subject: Prison reform in Russia

Russia holds an extraordinarily high proportion of its population (cid:129) 1,1 million (cid:129) in prisons and prison
camps. The latest figures show that, out of every 100 000 Russians, some 750 are imprisoned. A special
report by the official Russian human rights body estimates that 85 000 prisoners in Russian prisons have
no beds, 91 000 suffer from TB, and 5000 have AIDS. From these figures, it is obvious that the Russian
prison system is failing and is in serious need of reform and financial assistance.

At the EU-Russia Summit which took place in Paris at the end of October, the Joint Declaration by Mr J.
Chirac, Mr R. Prodi and Mr V. Putin, President of the Russian Federation, stated that, (cid:145)the primary objective
of cooperation, which is entering into a new phase, will be to support the institutional, economic and
social reforms, with a view to strengthening the rule of law and meeting the democratic requirements of a
modern economy and society.(cid:146) With respect to this statement, can the Council explain what future plans it
has to tackle Russia(cid:146)s prison crisis?

Reply

(8 March 2001)

The Council is concerned by the situation in penal establishments in Russia. One of the EU(cid:146)s priorities in
its cooperation with Russia is support for institutional reforms. A joint project of the Commission and the
Council of Europe relating to the reform of penal institutions in Russia is currently under way as part of
the TACIS programme. The Council also regularly reminds Russia of the importance it attaches to respect
for human rights, which is one of the foundations of the partnership between the EU and Russia.

(2001/C 174 E/158)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3812/00

by Patricia McKenna (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(7 December 2000)

Subject: State of Russian prisons

Russia holds an extraordinarily high proportion of its population (cid:129) 1,1 million (cid:129) in prisons and prison
camps. The latest figures show that, out of every 100 000 Russians, some 750 are imprisoned. A special
report by the official Russian Human rights body estimates that 85 000 prisoners in Russian prisons have
no beds, 91 000 suffer from TB, and 5000 have AIDS. A report by the NGO Human Rights Watch
estimated that Russia(cid:146)s prison population increased in 1999 and, according to official figures, it grew by
45 000 prisoners in the first five months of 1999. Pre-trial detention centres held about 300 000 people in
1999, 80 000 contracted serious diseases in detention, and about 2000 died awaiting trial.

At the EU-Russia Summit which took place in Paris at the end of October, the Joint Declaration Mr Chirac,
(cid:145)the primary objective of
Mr R. Prodi and Mr V. Putin, President of the Russian Federation stated that,
cooperation, which is entering into a new phase, will be to support the institutional, economic and social
reforms, with a view to strengthening the rule of law and meeting the democratic requirements of a
modern economy and society.(cid:146) With respect to this statement and to the alarming statistics, can the
Commission explain what future plans it has to aid social reform in Russia and, in particular, to help it
tackle its prison crisis?