RUSSIA: SIX PRISONERS WIN THEIR RELEASE FROM PRISON AFTER WINNING SINGING COMPETITION

Record ID: 647899

  • Title: RUSSIA: SIX PRISONERS WIN THEIR RELEASE FROM PRISON AFTER WINNING SINGING COMPETITION
  • Date: 24th October 2003
  • Summary: (W8) MOSCOW, RUSSIA (OCTOBER 24, 2003) (REUTERS -- ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS OF VOLGOGRAD PRISON BRASS BAND PERFORMING "MACK THE KNIFE" (2 SHOTS) 0.16 2. SMV FAN PUTTING FLOWERS ON STAGE 0.19 3. VARIOUS OF VOLGOGRAD BRASS PRISON BAND PLAYING 0.29 4. WIDE OF PEOPLE APPLAUDING 0.35 5. VARIOUS OF PRISONER ELENA KOZLOVA SINGING ON STAGE 0.57 6. PAN OF WOMEN PRISON GUARDS 1.07 7. SLV SECURITY GUARDS AT ENTRANCE CHECKING VISITORS 1.18 8. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) FATHER SERAPHIM, JURY MEMBER, SAYING: "A person who is in captivity, thinks much about his life and begins to repent. And his soul wants to sing out." 1.29 9. VARIOUS OF PRISONER ELENA BELYAEVA SINGING ON STAGE 1.49 10. WIDE OF AUDIENCE 1.56 11. SLV PRISONERS SALAVAT OGLI AND NIKOLAI MARINKOV SINGING ON STAGE 2.21 12. SLV SALAVAT OLGI'S MOTHER WAVING TO HIM FROM AUDIENCE 2.30 13. SMV PRISON OFFICIAL ANNOUNCES NAMES OF RELEASED PRISONERS 2.40 14. SLV PRISONER VLADIMIR BAZYKIN SMILES AND WAVES 2.50 15. SMV SOLDIERS 2.56 16. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RELEASED PRISONER, VERA VERSHININA, SAYING: "I feel happy." 3.03 17. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RELEASED PRISONER, VALERI TERSKIKH, SAYING: "I feel tired." 3.08 18. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RELEASED PRISONER, VLADIMIR BAZYKIN, SAYING: "To know what it feels like, you have to have lived through it." 3.14 19. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RELEASED PRISONER, ELENA MASLOVA, SAYING: "I feel happy, joyful and somewhat afraid because now I have to arrange my life and I don't know where to begin." 3.20 20. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RELEASED PRISONER, ALEXANDER DYACHENKO, SAYING: "I feel free." 3.25 21. SLV RELEASED PRISONER, VLADIMIR BAZYKIN, PUTS ON CAP AND COAT, WAVING AND WALKING OUT OF CONCERT HALL 3.46 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 8th November 2003 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
  • Country: Russia
  • Reuters ID: LVA5XA6TOS7WHHNGR7V5K45TC6JJ
  • Story Text: Six convicts win freedom at a Russian prison song
    contest



    The Volgograd Prison Brass Band and their snappy
    rendition of "Max the Knife" opens up Russia's first prison
    song contest.

    Russian prison officials and music producers had
    selected 23 finalists from a pool of over 800
    musician-prisoners to perform at this Moscow concert hall.

    The finalists were not only given a chance to show off
    their talent, but were automatically eligible for amnesty.

    Just hours before the performance, six performers had
    learned that they could walk out free after the concert.

    Russia has had several prison amnesties for its large
    prison population, but this was perhaps the most unusual
    yet. Prison officials said they believed that giving
    convicts a chance at freedom through singing was a way of
    rehabilitating them.

    The project was endorsed by the Russian Orthodox Church.

    Jury member Father Seraphim said that captivity offered
    some a chance to repent.

    Organisers stressed that they were not simply giving a
    ticket to freedom for the best voice but had reviewed each
    application and gave amnesty only to those who they
    believed deserved it.

    The prisoners who didn't win release had the chance to
    perform and catch a glimpse of their family in the
    audience. After the concert, they were marched back into
    jail.

    But the six who won release literally had their life
    changed, getting as many as four years knocked off their
    sentences and being pardoned for crimes ranging from drug
    use to murder.

    "I feel happy, joyful and somewhat afraid because now I
    have to arrange my life and I don't know where to begin,"
    said released prisoner Elena Maslova, who is returning to
    her six-year-old daughter.

    "I feel free," said Alexander Dyachenko.

    Organisers of this year's concert say that they plan to
    renew the contest in two years, giving another group of
    aspiring-musician convicts a chance to sing their way to
    freedom.





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