Russia will prosecute perpetrators of torture in its prisons, including guards caught on video beating an inmate that has led to a public outcry, the deputy justice minister told the United Nations human rights watchdog this week.

Authorities detained six prison guards on Monday, days after a video circulated online showing at least 10 guards torturing and beating an inmate with truncheons.

The Novaya Gazeta newspaper published the 10-minute clip last week and said the incident took place in June 2017 in a prison in the city of Yaroslavl, northeast of Moscow.

UN experts on the Committee against Torture raised the case of the detainee identified as Yevgeny Makarov on Monday at the start of a two-day regular review of Russia's record.

Panel chairman Jens Modvig also called on authorities to provide a "clear signal" to law enforcement personnel and the public that torture is prohibited.

"I would like to express my conviction that the investigation of this and other similar incidents, the consideration of these cases in our courts and the severe punishment of those responsible regardless of rank and position should become and I'm sure will become that very clear signal on the unacceptability of torture," Mikhail Galperin, who led Russia's delegation at the hearing, told the panel on Tuesday.