What is a guardhouse in the army - crime and punishment?

Historical reference

Initially, the guardhouse had a different purpose. In the era of Peter the Great, this room was a guard house for the location of the main guard personnel. Later they began to hold prisoners there. The institute of guardhouses was active during the Soviet period of Russian history.

You could be punished for the following offenses:

• AWOL (leaving the location of a military unit for a short time without appropriate permission);
• drunkenness;
• manifestation of “hazing” in actions;
• violation of statutory requirements for dress code;
• disobedience to a superior in rank;
• neglect of official duties;
• failure to comply with an order.

Both soldiers and officers were kept under arrest. The period of imprisonment was not taken into account when calculating the total period of military service. According to the changes made in 2002 to regulatory military documents, namely the Charter of Garrison and Guard Service and the Disciplinary Charter of the RF Armed Forces, guardhouses were abolished.

The army owes their return to the initiative of the Minister of Defense, approved by the President of the Russian Federation. The law on the restoration of disciplinary arrest and the procedure for its application was signed by V.V. Putin 02.12.2006

Reference! Unlike a disciplinary battalion - a special military unit for the re-education of military personnel, stay on the lip cannot exceed 45 days.

Types of guardhouses in modern Russia

In accordance with Appendix No. 14 to the Charter of the garrison and guard service of the RF Armed Forces, guardhouses are distinguished:

• Military (in the Navy - ship). The basis for assignment to a military prison or to a ship's punishment cell is an order from the garrison commander (in the navy, the ship's commander). The punishment period is up to two days. If there is a court decision - up to three days. Committing a serious violation can be punishable by up to forty-five days.
• Garrison. This type of imprisonment is determined by a verdict of a military court when the guilt of a serviceman is proven, or on suspicion of committing a serious crime, or when detained in the interests of an investigation that is being conducted against a serviceman, or is applied before the verdict enters into legal force. Thus, there can be five legal categories of arrest: accused, suspect, detained, defendant and convicted. According to the Ministry of Defense (Ministry of Defense), more than a dozen garrison guardhouses are fully functioning on the territory of the Russian Federation.

If the military unit is located at a significant territorial distance from the existing garrison guardhouse, isolated special premises are equipped at the place of deployment by order of the garrison commander.

The protection of military personnel serving their sentences in the gulf is performed by the guard at the guardhouse or the garrison guard (controllers, escorts and deportees)

What is a guardhouse and how does it differ from a disbat?

A guardhouse is a detention facility for holding military personnel who have violated discipline rules or the law. There are two types of guardhouse, which we will consider below.

Garrison or general camp

The following categories of military personnel can enter the garrison guardhouse:

• Those serving disciplinary punishment;
• Detained by the police;
• Criminal defendants;
• Suspects of committing a criminal offense (sit in a guardhouse for no more than forty-eight hours, but by court decision the period of detention can be extended to thirty days).

Military or ship

The commander of the unit can organize such an isolation ward if the cells in the main guardhouse are not enough to hold all the prisoners. The following are sent to the military guardhouse:

• Accused and suspects in criminal cases;
• Those serving disciplinary punishment;
• Detained sailors and foremen.

Many people confuse a guardhouse with a disbat - a disciplinary battalion. It differs from the “lip” in that it is a full-fledged military unit. Disbat is not a prison or an isolation ward. There are only two disciplinary battalions left in Russia. One of them is located near Chita, the other is in Mulino (Nizhny Novgorod region).

The disbat differs from the guardhouse and the terms of serving arrests. Service in such a platoon can last up to three years and is not taken into account in the total period of military service. This means that after serving an arrest in a disbat, the soldier continues to serve from the moment he was “stopped.”

The regime and daily routine in a disciplinary battalion are stricter than in a guardhouse. The Soviet disbats are notorious, notable for the cruelty of the “red shoulder straps” towards prisoners and the harsh conditions of detention. Offending soldiers were beaten and humiliated. There were many cases of robbery, fights, rioting and escapes from the battalion.

Grounds for disciplinary arrest

The key reasons for sending a serviceman under arrest are disciplinary violations:

The procedure for dismissing a military personnel

• AWOL;
• failure to comply with the terms of the granted leave;
• damage to military material base, equipment and weapons due to malicious intent;
• direct or indirect participation in fights related to hazing, discrimination against colleagues based on length of service, organization of groups based on the principle of fraternity;
• refusal to carry out an order and obey a superior in rank;
• showing disrespect towards fellow soldiers;
• state of drug or alcohol intoxication;
• violation of the rules of daily or combat duty;
• violations of the procedure for handling small arms, ammunition and weapons, resulting in material damage or harm to human health.
• deliberate damage to a military registration document (Military ID);
• suspicion of committing criminal and administrative crimes.

Disciplinary action in the form of imprisonment at a military guardhouse in the army does not apply to senior officers, women, and recruits who have not taken the ceremonial oath of allegiance (in other words, who have not taken the oath).

Types of punishments and reasons for getting caught

You can only get into a guardhouse for a serious violation of discipline or the commission of a crime. Misdemeanors for which you are sent to prison include:

• Leaving the unit without the permission of the controller (or SOCHI - unauthorized leaving of the unit);
• Seriously late for an important event;
• Careless handling of weapons;
• Use of alcohol or drugs while on duty;
• Failure to comply with the commander's order;
• Damage or loss of a military ID;
• Violation of duty regulations;
• Damage or theft of military property;
• Violation of safety regulations;
• Hazing.

Only a military court can order someone to serve their sentence in a guardhouse. Within ten to fifteen days, the judge examines the case materials and makes a final decision. There are no deferred sentences. Some categories of military cannot be sent to "kicha". These include:

1. Female military personnel.
2. Minors.
3. Those who did not take the oath.
4. Persons not recognized as fit for military service.

After the court makes a decision not in favor of the soldier, the serviceman has the right:

1. File an appeal of disagreement with the court decision.
2. Provide evidence of your innocence to the court.
3. Use the help of a lawyer.

Living conditions on the lip

Isolated special rooms are prohibited from being organized on the ground floors of buildings, as well as in places where there is no natural air ventilation. Living conditions are created in accordance with sanitary and hygienic standards and safety requirements.

Legal categories of arrested persons (accused, suspected, detained, on trial and convicted) must be kept separately from each other. In addition, separate stay of military personnel under arrest must be ensured, according to military ranks:

• soldiers (in the Navy - sailors);
• sergeants and foremen;
• warrant officers (in the navy - midshipmen).

Soldiers serving under conscription from contract soldiers are kept separately. Those convicted of criminal offenses are isolated in solitary confinement, while other categories are housed in general cells. The cell senior is authorized to control discipline, order, and cleaning.

The area provided for housing prisoners should not be less than four square meters per person. The cell where the military personnel are located is locked (similar to a regular prison). The equipment of the room includes:

• furniture (bed, table, bedside table, stool, coat hanger);
• a container (usually a tin tank) with drinking water and a mug;
• equipment for maintaining cleanliness and order in the cell;
• full lighting of special premises;
• socket;
• mirror;
• trash can (urn).

Prisoners held in solitary confinement are under 24-hour security surveillance

Some cells are equipped with a washbasin and refrigerator. Military personnel serving time in prison are provided with bedding, towels, newspapers, office supplies and personal hygiene products (shaving accessories, toilet paper, soap, etc.). Before being placed in a guardhouse, violators of military discipline undergo a medical examination.

Reference! The Basic Law of the Russian Federation and international law guarantee military personnel held under arrest protection from violence, humiliation, and torture.

Physical force and special means can be used by security in emergency cases:

• suppression of crimes, escapes, riots.
• attempt to cause harm to fellow inmates or one’s own health;
• repelling an attack.

The head of the guardhouse is authorized to resolve all organizational issues regarding the detention of those arrested. His responsibilities include recording violators, issuing permits for the admission and release of prisoners, and interacting with the guards guarding the guardhouse.

Requirements for keeping violators

The following military personnel may be present at the garrison guardhouse:

• serving a sentence for violating army discipline by a court decision, for a period in accordance with the adopted resolution;
• suspects of crimes who are under guard until the end of the investigation and sentencing;
• military personnel detained for various reasons.

A military guardhouse is organized in those garrisons in which there is no room to accommodate violators in the main garrison guardhouse. In military units remote from the garrison guardhouse, isolated premises can be built to detain disciplinary violators. According to accepted standards, such rooms must be equipped in compliance with all requirements for protecting the health and rights of citizens of the Russian state.

In such premises the following rules are observed:

• violators are in a room equipped with a lock, under constant guard and surveillance;
• violators of discipline are kept in separate premises from military personnel detained for a crime or under investigation;
• sergeants and foremen are separated from privates;
• contract soldiers are located in separate premises from those who serve on conscription;
• officers are placed separately from all other military personnel.

In addition, to ensure satisfactory living conditions for prisoners, sanitary and hygienic standards are in place. According to them, such rooms cannot be equipped in basements or dungeons, where sufficient air flow is not provided and there are no window openings.

“Guba” in the army must have a sleeping place with bedding, the necessary cutlery for meals, chairs, according to the number of prisoners arriving in the room. In addition, the size of the cell must correspond to 4 square meters per prisoner, this corresponds to 12 cubic meters of air per person. Each room should be equipped with lighting and running water. At the guardhouse there should be a courtyard for detainees to exercise.

Features of staying on the lip

The internal regulations and rules for serving the sentence are approved by the head of the garrison based on the requirements of the Ministry of Defense. Military personnel serving a sentence are required to:

• strictly adhere to the prescribed daily routine and rules of behavior on the lip;
• strictly comply with security requirements;
• clean the premises yourself;
• obey orders unquestioningly;
• maintain diplomatic relations with fellow inmates;
• protect the property with which they are provided;
• do not neglect medical examination and hygiene rules.

The following are strictly prohibited:

• drinking alcoholic beverages, using narcotic drugs;
• production and operation of homemade electrical appliances;
• visits with family and friends;
• sending and receiving parcels, money transfers and parcels.

Violations of discipline and the procedure for staying on the lip by military personnel are punishable by increasing the term of arrest to fifteen days, with transfer to a punishment cell. Those arrested have the right:

• to a personal meeting with the head of the guardhouse after a preliminary request;
• to perform prayers (rites), according to the professed religion, study religious literature, use religious objects;
• to receive emergency medical care and long-term therapeutic treatment;
• to be informed about their rights and responsibilities.

Studying periodicals and reading books is allowed during specially allotted times. Punishment for a disciplinary offense necessarily includes daily eight-hour drill classes and a thorough study of the four military regulations (Internal Service, Garrison and Guard Service, Disciplinary, Combat).

The chief of the gulf is responsible for the organization of classes, and the foreman of the guardhouse is responsible for the execution. The parade ground, or yard where drill training is carried out, is enclosed by walls (fence). Those convicted under articles of the Criminal Code are exempt from combat training.

In addition to drill and statutory training, soldiers daily engage in physical training and cleaning the guardhouse area. The names of those arrested are checked up to five times a day. The daily routine includes night rest, lasting eight hours (from 22:30 to 6:30). During the daytime, taking a horizontal position on the bed is prohibited.

Military personnel serving a prison sentence are required to take a daily one-hour walk on the parade ground (in the courtyard). At the same time, different legal categories of arrested persons are taken for a walk at different times. This rule also applies to differences in military rank.

Prisoners are provided with three meals a day, which does not differ in quality and quantity from the food allowance in regular military units. Food intake is carried out by different categories of offenders separately from each other.

This separation is aimed at preventing provocations of hazing, possible collusion and negative mutual influence. 30 minutes are allotted for hygiene procedures four times a day. The bath is provided once a week. Special attention is paid to the neat appearance of military personnel, putting their uniforms and shoes in order.

Release from the guardhouse

The grounds for termination of disciplinary arrest are:

• the end of the period provided for by the verdict of a military court or the garrison commander;
• reversal of a sentence on legal grounds;
• replacing arrest with another disciplinary measure;
• amnesty, pardon;
• the health condition of the serviceman does not allow him to be kept on the lip;
• mobilization measures in the event of martial law being introduced in the state.

A common cell in a guardhouse is usually equipped for two people

Upon expiration of the sentence or other reasons for which the arrested person is released from the guardhouse, he is sent back to the military unit. Contract soldiers get there on their own, conscripted soldiers are accompanied by a representative of the military unit.

History of the term

Initially, guardhouse is a term that appeared and became established under Peter I in 1707. At this time, the emperor, by decree, established military commandant's offices and garrisons.

The first guardhouse was built on Sennaya Square in St. Petersburg. This establishment was designed by a famous architect and had a rather beautiful appearance. The first prisoners of the guardhouse were officers who committed violations provided for by the charter.

Then they began to place military personnel of any rank there who violated the regulations. After being in the guardhouse, each violator went through a commission (court), where the further degree of his punishment was decided.

Results

Guardhouse - special premises for arrested military personnel who have committed a disciplinary violation, administrative or criminal crime. The provisions on the creation of living conditions, the rules for keeping prisoners, and the procedure for release are enshrined in law by the Decree of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Federation and the Appendices to the Decree. The time interval for a serviceman to suffer punishment, in the form of being on the lip, is counted towards the total period of military service.

In order not to be among those arrested, it is necessary to serve with dignity in the ranks of the Armed Forces, strictly comply with the requirements of the Charter of the Armed Forces, unquestioningly obey the orders of commanders and superiors, and conscientiously fulfill the duties of a military personnel.