Editor's Note: Some arrested Jews and Muslims served in military or civilian disciplinary units, usually for half a year, or a year. These units are called penal battalions or units in this translation.
On release from work of penal battalion prisoners of the Muslim or Jewish faith for prayer.
The governing Senate heard the report of the Defense Minister in which he explained that the Sovereign
Emperor on the ninth day of February was pleased to give the Imperial order: 1) Penal battalion prisoners
in the Engineering Department, who are of the Muslim or Jewish faith, are released from work for prayers,
the former on Fridays, the latter on Saturdays, but for that reason, not released from work on Sundays,
so that prisoners of all faiths have not more than one day of liberty a week, namely: the day when
services are performed for worship. 2) This rule is also extended to civilian penal units. On
this Imperial order, the Defense Minister shall carry it to the governing Senate, for making it public.
Ordered: his Imperial Majesty the Emperor commands this decree be sent, as appropriate,
to all gubernia, military, and Bessarabia Oblast administrations to inform the ministers.
(V.P.S.Z. Vol. XXIV, No. 23,062).
