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1,700 people in Russia in custody for terrorism, extremism — Federal Penitentiary Service

According to Deputy Director of the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service, 546 of them are held in pre-trial detention facilities, the rest — in prison

MOSCOW, October 27. /TASS/. Nearly 2,000 people in Russia are currently in penal colonies and detention centers for terrorist and extremist crimes, Deputy Director of the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) Valery Boyarintsev told TASS at a news conference on Tuesday.

"A total of 1,756 persons are held in custody in the penal system for terrorist and extremist crimes, including 546 — in pre-trial detention facilities, the rest — in prison," Boyarintsev said.

He said that criminal responsibility for the participation in hostilities outside of Russia was added in 2012 to the Russian Criminal Code, but since it was included in the Criminal Code Article 208 — providing for punishment for the organization of an illegal armed group or participation in it, the FSIN does not separate it. "To date, 264 people are in prison for offences punishable under Article 208, including 246 people for membership in illegal armed groups," said the deputy head of the Federal Penitentiary Service.