We, representatives of Russian and international civil society organisations, are deeply outraged by a new and alarming development in the campaign of pressure against Russian civil society: a potential opening of the first criminal case in the framework of the law on "NGOs as foreign agents."

‘This Alternative Report, prepared by a coalition of Russian NGOs, covers various aspects of the way our country fulfils its obligations, as laid down by the Convention against Torture. This concerns the use of torture by the police; the situation in penal institutions; the problem of institutionalised bullying; and other forms of cruel, humiliating practices within the army. The report also deals with psychiatric institutes and the problems there of cruel treatment, and the absence of appropriate methods of oversight over compulsory treatment; the absence of effective investigations into all these crimes; and the absence of rehabilitation procedures for victims. Immediately after the previous report had been reviewed in November 2006, the Russian Federation adopted a series of legislative and regulatory measures aimed at improving the situation; unfortunately these good initiatives did not lead to positive changes in practice. Take the creation by the Investigating Committee of a special subdivision with the task of investigating crimes by officials, for example. This did not lead to any reduction in torture by the police.'

Intervention by Natalia Taubina, Public Verdict Foundation: "I would like to bring your attention to the fact that over the course of the reporting period in the Russian Federation several reforms were initiated: Interior Ministry, investigative bodies, the penal system, reform in military, and although at the moment reforms continue, intermediate results seem to be possible".

This Report is submitted to the UN Committee against Torture within the framework of its examination of the Russia's Fifth Periodic Report on implementation of the Convention against Torture. The Report is aimed at comprehensively tackling the issues of observing in Russia the rights enshrined in the Convention and at drawing the Committee experts' attention to the most burning problems in the sphere of these rights realization, which have not been reflected in the Russian Federation Report.

I have in front of me a report released by a committee of forensic psychiatrists who conducted an outpatient competency evaluation of Mikhail Kosenko. The report's findings, judging by recent information in the press and the logic of the document itself, became the main reason why the court decided to institute separate proceedings against Mikhail Kosenko.

"At present, we can only judge the new Minister on what he has said to the press. It's true that he says that the reforms will continue, noting that the legislative basis for the reforms has now been created, so it is time to adjust the structure. By the looks of it, he has some organisational decisions in mind, which will allow the situation within the Ministry of Internal Affairs to improve".

This report reflects some of the key activities and achievements of the Public Verdict Foundation in 2011. The programs described below are part of our mission to promote respect for human rights and liberties in Russia.

At the start of 2010 the NGO Working Group on Police Reform developed a Plan for Reform of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. On 19 March 2010 this Plan was presented to a joint meeting of the Working Group, the Presidential Council on Civil Society and Human Rights, and the Civic Chamber's Commission for Public Oversight of the Activities and Reform of Law Enforcement and the Justice System.

The Alternative NGO Report On Compliance of the Russian Federation with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) in the period from 2003 to 2008 has been prepared jointly by a coalition of Russian non-governmental organizations, including Center for the Development of Democracy and Human Rights, SOVA Center for Information and Analysis, "Public Verdict" Foundation, "Memorial" Human Rights Center, "Civic Assistance" Committee, Center for International Protection, National Center for Prevention of Violence "Anna", Center for the Defense of Media Rights, and the Inter-Regional Human Rights Group. Materials for the report have been also provided by Lawyers for Constitutional Rights and Freedoms/ JURIX, Moscow Helsinki Group, the Institute for Human Rights, "Right of the Child", "Social Partnership" Foundation, and other Russian NGOs. Center for the Development of Democracy and Human Rights coordinated preparation of the Report.

The Russian Federation, being a party to the UN Convention against tortures and European Convention for the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, is responsible for preventing torture and cruel and humiliating treatment within its boundaries, the effective investigation of the complaints about human rights violations, the criminal prosecution of the guilty and compensation to the victims.