Russia ranks 6th in Europe in terms of the percentage of women behind bars. By the beginning of 2023, according to the Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN), around 433 thousand people were held in Russian pre-trial detention centers, prisons, and colonies, with approximately 9% of the inmates being women. Despite a decrease in the number of prisoners in recent years, this has had little impact on detainees’ living conditions. For instance, women work up to 16 hours a day, including nights. They suffer health deterioration due to overwork, poor nutrition, and extremely harsh conditions. It’s basically prison slavery for 500 rubles ($5.5) per month, and sometimes even unpaid, all due to loopholes in Russian legislation.