More than 530 people, who had been released fr om detention centers, received assistance fr om the Russian Red Cross (RRC) since 2020. The people were provided with resocialization support, humanitarian aid, as well as psychological and legal counselling.
“According to the statistics from the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia at the beginning of 2023, there are more than 433,000 people being held in detention facilities. However, once released, ex-convicts face a number of issues. Many of them cannot get a job, not everyone has the opportunity to return to their family members. A number of the Russian Red Cross regional branches provide assistance to former convicts, including with resocialization issues”, comments Victoria Makarchuk, the First Deputy President of the Russian Red Cross, the Chairwoman of the RRC Khabarovsk regional branch.
As an example, there is a social rehabilitation center for ex-convicts housed by the RRC Regional branch in the town of Vologda. Since 2018, about 200 people received support and assistance thereof.
The Social Rehabilitation Center of the RRC regional branch in Vologda has everything necessary for people released from detention centers and facilities. The rehab center is equipped with bedrooms for men and women, a clothing depot, a canteen, training classes. Beyond that, there is a sewing workshop wh ere residents sew clothes. For instance, some of the branded vests of the Russian Red Cross are sewn in the Vologda Rehabilitation Center.
“Such social rehabilitation centers, similar to the Russian Red Cross’ project, shall be available in each town or city. Any person should have the opportunity to adapt to new life after release, to have a place wh ere ex-convicts can come at any time and ask for help. I believe such centers can contribute to reducing the number of second offenses among ex-convicts”, shared her opinion Veronika, who has been living and working in the rehab center for the last 4 years.
Within the rehab center, former convicts are not only provided with the opportunity to work, to build and maintain social connections, but also become aware of the values and principles of the Russian Red Cross. Also, there is a psychological counselling provided by a psychologist.
“The Russian Red Cross personnel helped me greatly. To put it another way, they gave me the second chance. The RRC staff helped me in obtaining temporary registration and residence permission. They gave me a job position in a sew workshop at the regional office. I did not stand in need of anything and I am very grateful for that”, – commented Olga, who once released, applied to the Russian Red Cross for help.
Alongside with the social rehabilitation center, at the Russian Red Cross regional branch in the Khabarovsk region, former convicts can receive humanitarian and psychological assistance, as well as legal counselling.
“We have been running this project for several years already, providing humanitarian and legal assistance to people who have recently been released from detention facilities. Since 2020, 267 people received such support on behalf of the Russian Red Cross”, accentuated Victoria Makarchuk.
People, released from detention centers, can also apply for help to the RRC regional branches in the Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Belgorod, Tyumen, Rostov and Arkhangelsk regions, as well as in the Republic of Tatarstan. For the last year, more than 70 people have received such assistance.
The Russian Red Cross also provides assistance to people inside detention facilities. In a number of Russian regions, the RRC representatives are members of public monitoring commissions in visiting penal colonies. Beyond that, in several regions of Russia, such as the Khabarovsk region, branches of the Russian Red Cross provide assistance to HIV-positive convicts. In particular, the RRC staff hold workshops aimed at psychological support, enhancing knowledge about HIV infection, the transmission ways and how it relates to pregnancy.
“Due to the information, which I leant from a psychologist and social worker, I decided for myself that it was possible to lead a normal life with a HIV-positive status. The classes were very interesting. What I liked most of all was that the staff listened to me and my opinion was taken into account. Now I know a great deal about HIV infection, how to live being HIV-positive and how to protect myself”, highlighted Eugenia, who is serving a sentence in one of the penal colonies in the Khabarovsk region and attended workshops held by the RRC regional branch in Khabarovsk.
