The guardhouse once in tsarist Russia was the site of the main guard of the state army. It existed in every major city. Later it began to be used as a place of detention for arrested soldiers.
History of occurrence
In its original meaning, the guardhouse is a German translation of the “main guard”, which is called a temporary military formation. Its only task is the protection and protection of military banners, objects of varying degrees of importance. After the establishment of military garrisons and commandants by Peter the Great, a guardhouse appeared in Russia, this happened in 1707. It was used in those days to place the guard personnel.
The first guardhouse building was built, as you might guess, on Sennaya Square in St. Petersburg. Later, such institutions were located on the main squares in all major cities. Since the changing of the guard always attracted attention with its beauty, clarity, and graceful movements of soldiers, such buildings were located on the central streets of cities, and famous architects and builders were engaged in their design.
Later, the Communists used the premises of the guard to keep the arrested servicemen. It is worth noting that in European countries such an institution as guardhouse was completely absent. Basically, their military received only reprimands as punishment.
Guardhouse in modern times
In 2002, guardhouses were canceled due to a contradiction with the Constitution of the Russian Federation. According to the Charter of the garrison and guard services of the Armed Forces of Russia, the arrest of a suspected soldier could be imposed by the regiment commander, and not the judicial authority. This was contrary to the basic law of the state.
Five years later, this institute was returned to the Russian armed forces. Two of its types were formed: military and garrison guardhouse. Today in the Russian Federation there are fifteen of these institutions. In 2013, Minister of Defense Sergey Shoigu by his decree returned the guardhouse to the capital, where the latter was closed in 2008.
Arrest grounds
In 2006, according to the law adopted by Vladimir Putin, the guardhouse was again designated the place of detention of the guilty military. This included a disciplinary arrest, the decision of which could only be made by a military court. The grounds for detention at the guardhouse for the reasons of such exaction may be unauthorized abandonment of the military unit, violations in the use of military weapons, as well as being in the line of duty in alcohol or drug intoxication. The detention at the guardhouse can last a maximum of 45 days.
In addition to serving disciplinary punishments, other categories of convicted persons may be in the institution. In a number of cases provided for by a military tribunal, a guardhouse is the temporary detention of suspected or accused servicemen. For example, if a court has postponed a decision on choosing a preventive measure, the defendant may be in a temporary stay for no more than three days. If it is not possible to deliver the person under investigation to the isolation ward for various reasons, the duration of the stay may be up to a month.
Conditions of stay
The maintenance of military personnel at the guardhouse is also controlled by international law and the Russian Constitution, which is to prevent the use of torture and other ill-treatment, which could result in humiliation of human dignity. Arrested persons can be in solitary or in common cells. In this case, the military detained as a result of disciplinary action are always located separately from others.
Separate detention principles are also observed during the arrest of senior and junior officers, conscripts and contract soldiers.