Wall Street Journal Reporter Evan Gershkovich Details Russian Prison Codes He Learned From Cellmate

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich has described the unwritten rules, prison hierarchy and daily routines he learned from a cellmate during his detention in Moscow's Lefortovo prison.

In a New Yorker essay published on 28 September, Gershkovich recalled being moved into a cell with another prisoner after spending two weeks in solitary confinement.

His cellmate, whom Gershkovich calls 'Seryoga' to protect his identity, had already spent more than a year at Lefortovo and began teaching the American journalist the rules of the Russian prison system.

Gershkovich wrote that Seryoga's first question after he entered the cell was, 'What's the trouble?' The question referred to the prisoner's 'article,' meaning the relevant article of the Russian criminal code under which he was being held.

Cellmate Taught Gershkovich Prison Rules

Gershkovich wrote that he quickly realised he had made mistakes when entering the cell.

He had failed to wipe his feet on a rag at the entrance, which Seryoga told him was considered disrespectful. He had also offered a handshake before asking about his cellmate's criminal-code article.

According to Gershkovich, prisoners could face consequences for associating with someone regarded as being at the bottom of the prison caste system. Gershkovich wrote that Seryoga told him certain offences, including sexual offences, could automatically place a prisoner in the lowest caste.

Gershkovich said this could affect basic aspects of prison life, including sharing cigarettes and eating arrangements.

Strict Rules Inside the Cell

The journalist also described a series of everyday rules that Seryoga taught him. Prisoners were expected to maintain strict hygiene, with separate rags used for different areas of the cell, including the floor, walls, sink, table and toilet.

Gershkovich wrote that certain words were also avoided because of their alternative meanings in prison slang. For example, he said the Russian word 'stuchat,' meaning 'to knock,' could also mean 'to snitch.' Instead, Seryoga preferred the word 'shumet,' meaning 'to make noise.'

The cellmate also explained how prisoners could carry an unwritten reputation with them when they were moved between cells. Gershkovich wrote that larger cells and penal-camp barracks had an inmate known as the 'smotryashchiy,' or watcher, who acted as a senior authority and helped enforce the prison code.

From Strangers to Cellmates

Despite the tension and strict rules, Gershkovich said he and Seryoga eventually developed a close relationship. He described his cellmate as someone who could be intimidating and had threatened violence when Gershkovich made mistakes, but also said Seryoga made him laugh.

The pair read, exercised and spent their daily hour-long walks on the prison roof together. Gershkovich wrote that, despite the circumstances, he found moments of pleasure in the routine. He said he was lucky to have Seryoga as a cellmate because he read constantly, exercised and did not snore.

Gershkovich also recalled how the prison routine shaped his understanding of life inside Lefortovo. Small gestures, words and habits could carry meanings he initially did not recognise. His cellmate's guidance helped him navigate those expectations, while their shared routines provided a sense of structure during a period marked by uncertainty and isolation.

The New Yorker essay is drawn from Gershkovich's book, 'This Cursed Beautiful Land: A Russian-American Story.'