Inmates under Article 58 were known as "politichesky" (полити́ческий, short for полити́ческий заключённый, "politи́chesky zakliuchenny" or "political prisoner"), as opposed to common criminals, "ugolovnik" (уголо́вник).
Condamnații cu articolul 58 erau cunoscuți drept "полити́ческий (politiceski)", deosebindu-se de criminalii de drept comun, " уголо́вник (ugolovnik)".