Why people were send to the gulag?

People were sent to the Gulag, the Soviet Union's forced labor camp system, for a variety of reasons, including political dissent, perceived opposition to the government, and accusations of espionage or sabotage. Many were simply victims of arbitrary arrests, often based on false charges or denunciations. Additionally, the Gulag system was used as a tool for social control and to suppress any potential threats to the Communist regime. Conditions in the camps were harsh, leading to high mortality rates among inmates due to forced labor, starvation, and brutal treatment.