MOSCOW, June 26. /TASS/. Almost 200 lifetime convicts in Russia have the right to petition for release on parole at present, First Deputy Director of the Federal Service for Penitentiaries, Anatoly Rudy said in an interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta daily.

Under Russian legislation, the individuals sentenced to life terms have the right to plead for release on parole after 25 years in jail. The Russian authorities introduced life sentences twenty-five years ago, at the end of 1992.

"At present, we have 192 convicts with life sentences who already have the right to petition for release on parole," Rudy said. "In 2018, the number of those entitled to pleading for a conditional early release."

A total of 49 lifetime convicts have already filed petitions for parole.

"We turned down all their requests," Rudy said. "The main causes for the courts’ ruling are the seriousness and character of the crime and a convict’s conduct throughout the entire period of sentence served in the places of imprisonment."

He believes, however, it is important to provide a specification of criteria, upon which the courts could make decisions on releasing the convictions of this category on parole.

"These questions concern not only the courts, considering the fact the parolees will return to society," Rudy said. "We must have a clear understanding of where they will live and work and how they will adjust themselves to normal life."

"If a decision is taken, we must think about how this could be done, who to avert personal breakdowns and new crimes on the part of these people," he said.