Russia’s prison system has long been notorious for its brutal conditions, where violence, corruption, and extreme discipline rule. But for the country’s growing Muslim prison population, life behind bars is even more difficult. Many are denied halal food, forbidden from praying, and labeled as extremists simply for practicing their faith.
In a system that barely tolerates religious minorities, Muslim prisoners often find themselves fighting for their basic rights while facing constant surveillance, harsh punishments, and discrimination.
Denied Halal Food: A Daily Struggle for Muslim Inmates
For many Muslim prisoners, just getting a meal they can eat is a daily challenge. Most Russian prison meals contain pork, which is forbidden in Islam.
Nariman Dzhelyal, a Crimean Tatar leader imprisoned in 2023, found this out the hard way. When he arrived at a Siberian prison in the freezing month of November, almost every meal contained pork. With no other option, he survived on bread and tea.
Over time, his meals slightly improved fish was sometimes available, and only one of the three daily dishes contained pork. But for many other Muslim prisoners across Russia, this basic need remains unmet.
During Ramadan, fasting becomes almost impossible in some prisons. Prison schedules often ban eating between 10 PM and 6 AM, meaning inmates can’t eat before sunrise or break their fast after sunset. Inmates who try to observe Ramadan are often punished or reported for breaking prison rules.
Prayer is Treated as a Crime
In many Russian prisons, prayer itself is seen as a threat. Some guards view any open display of Islamic faith as “extremism.”
While Christian prisoners who convert and get baptized are often celebrated, those who convert to Islam are placed on watch lists. Prison authorities closely monitor them, and some even have their sentences extended under vague “terrorism” or “extremism” charges.
In certain prisons, the Quran is banned, and Arabic is not allowed. Some inmates are only permitted to read specific Russian translations of the Quran that the authorities approve.
However, conditions vary by prison. In some places, like Minusinsk where Dzhelyal was imprisoned, Muslims were allowed to pray in their beds and read religious books. But this is the exception rather than the rule.
A Prison System Built on Fear and Corruption
Russia’s prisons operate under an old and brutal hierarchy. Some prisons are controlled by hardened criminals, known as “crowned thieves,” who run smuggling rings and maintain order with violence. Others are run by strict prison guards who use torture, solitary confinement, and starvation as punishment.
Muslim prisoners, especially those from Central Asia, face additional challenges. Many do not speak Russian well and are vulnerable to false accusations and forced confessions. Human rights groups say that some police officers plant drugs on Central Asian migrants, using beatings and electrocution to extract confessions.
Some Muslim inmates have reportedly been forced to fight in Ukraine in exchange for a reduced sentence or a promise of freedom. However, many never return.
A Growing Muslim Population, But No Real Solutions
Islam is growing fast in Russia, with Muslims now making up around 15% of the country’s population. In prisons, the percentage is roughly the same, with more than 31,000 Muslim inmates out of 206,000.
Yet the Russian prison system has failed to adapt to this growing population. Instead of accommodating religious needs, authorities continue to treat Muslim prisoners as a security threat.
There are some attempts to train prison staff about Islam, but these efforts are rare. For many inmates, the reality remains the same—hunger, isolation, and persecution simply for practicing their faith.
For now, Muslim prisoners in Russia continue to struggle, forced to choose between their survival and their religion in a system designed to break them.
