The album procedure (Russian: в альбомном порядке, romanized: v albomnom poryadke) was a simplified procedure of extrajudicial conviction by NKVD, introduced in the Soviet Union during the Great Purge.
The level of punishment (execution or imprisonment) of the arrested persons was decided by local organs during the investigation, the lists of the convicted were sent to NKVD headquarters, where they were approved en masse and returned for immediate application of the punishment.
[1][2] The name of the procedure came about because the lists collected by mid-range NKVD organs were bound into albums.
Still, the number of convictions was so overwhelming that on September 15, 1938, the lower, regional level Special Troikas were introduced, with the rights to impose death penalties and immediately execute them.
[2] Both NKVD Troikas of all levels and "album procedure" were officially discontinued by November 17, 1938, Decree about Arrests, Prosecutor Supervision and Course of Investigation No.