Report from Tallinn Prison: What Does This Place Actually Look Like?

Tallinn Prison completely changes the traditional image of a prison as a dark and filthy place. The Russian-language portal Limon sent a journalist through the prison's doors, but entry required a lengthy process of confirmations and checks. Prison officials told the journalist: "Our doors are always open to you."

Tallinn Prison looks quite different in reality from how it is portrayed in foreign films and television series-this is the main conclusion reached by a journalist from the Russian-language portal Limon following a visit to the facility.

Before the journalist could step through the prison's doors, a long and thorough process had to be completed: confirmations, background checks, and a multi-stage inspection. Entry was far from simple, which in itself testified to the institution's strict adherence to security regulations.

Rabbits and Daily Life

One of the more surprising findings on the prison grounds was the presence of rabbits, animals that prison staff have clearly grown accustomed to and which have in a sense become part of the facility's daily life. How exactly the rabbits came to be there is explained in more detail in Limon's report.

Prison officials approached the journalist's visit openly and in a friendly manner, confirming that the media is a welcome visitor to them: "Our doors are always open to you."

Image vs. Reality

Tallinn Prison is a relatively new facility that differs markedly both from old Soviet-era detention facilities and from prisons as depicted in Hollywood. Limon reports that the institution's conditions and organization may come as a surprise to many readers, proving to be far more humane and orderly than expected.

The report offers the public a rare opportunity to look inside an institution that typically remains hidden from society.