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Drop unfounded criminal charges against russian human rights activist Valentina Cherevatenko

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."

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Natalia Taubina on Torture in Russia: 'Unfortunately these good initiatives did not lead to positive changes in practice'

‘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.'

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49th session of the UN Committee against Torture Consideration of the 5th Russian periodic report NGOs hearings

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".

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Russian NGO Shadow Report on the Observance of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment by the Russian Federation for the period from 2006 to 2012

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.

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Natalia Taubina: On the Psychiatric Evaluation of Mikhail Kosenko

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.

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Natalia Taubina on the New Minister of Internal Affairs Vladimir Kolokoltsev

"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".

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Public Verdict Foundation activity report

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.

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Memorandum of the Working Group of Human Rights Organizations on the Progress of Police Reform

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.

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On Compliance of the Russian Federation with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

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.

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Investigation and judicial decisions on torture cases: An analysis of cases executed by the Public Verdict Foundation and its regional partners

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.

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MATERIALS PREPARED BY RUSSIAN NGOs OR THE UNIVERSAL ERIODIC REVIEW OF RUSSIA IN THE UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL

This collection of materials has been produced in August-September 2008 by a coalition of Russian NGOs for submission to the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in the course of preparation of Universal Periodic Review of implementation of international obligations by the Russian Federation in the UN Human Rights Council. More >

Fabrications of “Islamic extremism” criminal cases in Russia: campaign continues

In the nearly one and a half years that have passed since the last report, the campaign of fabrication of “Islamic extremism” criminal cases passed through an interim period of very relative easing, before once again being stepped up in April 2008.
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Statement of the Rusian human right NGOs

The Russian Human Rights NGOs submitted their Shadow report on the Observance of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment by the Russian Federation for the period from 2001 to 2006 at 37th session of the Committee continues to monitor the situation. Below is the report of the Russian NGOs on how the Russian Federation observed some of the Committees’ recommendations More >

Law-enforcement bodies VS. Civil society

At the moment the struggle for political stability and state integrity in the Russian Federation is turning into the fight against dissidence, any signs of public political activity and the civil society as it is.
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The First Year of Implementation of the New Russian NGO Legislation: Main Problems and Recommendations om Amendments

Upon adoption of the new Russian legislation on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the beginning of 2006 and its coming into force on April 18, 2006, the situation of NGOs in Russia has continued to deteriorate. Freedom of association is becoming increasingly restricted and the pressure exerted by the Russian authorities on independent NGOs has intensified through legal and non-legal forms. Restrictive application of the new NGO legislation is combined with the use of other restrictive legal tools such as the counter-extremism legislation, tax laws, and the legislation on meetings, rallies, and demonstrations.

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A Note Concerning Pressure against Human Rights Defenders and Journalists in Cases Monitored by the Public Verdict Foundation

Our analysis of the cases detailed below reveals that litigation is currently the most effective remedy against arbitrariness faced by human rights defenders at the hands of authorities. Government officials employ all methods and means, including unlawful criminal or administrative proceedings, to discredit human rights defenders in the public opinion, and to limit or deny them the possibility of engaging in their professional work.
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Recommendations of Russian NGOs Concerning Measures Needed to Achieve Sustainable Compliance with the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

The recommendations are organized in accordance with the structure of the Alternative Report and the identified problem areas with regard to practices of torture and cruel, inhuman treatment.
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Russian NGO Shadow Report on the Observance of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment by the Russian Federation for the period from 2001 to 2006

This Joint Report on the Observance of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment by the Russian Federation for the period from 2001 to 2005 was prepared jointly by the leading Russian NGOs, including: DEMOS Research Center, Public Verdict Foundation, Civic Assistance Committee, Memorial Human Rights Center, All-Russian Movement “For Human Rights”, “Social Partnership Foundation”, Union of Soldiers’ Mothers Committees of Russia, Nizhniy Novgorod Committee against Torture, Krasnoyarsk Public Committee for Human Rights Protection, Perm regional human rights defender center, Kazan Human Rights Center, Yorshkar-Ola organization “Man and Law”, Memorial Human Rights Commission of Komi Republic, the Public Interest Law Initiative, Mordovian Republican Human Rights Center, Public Problems Research Institute «United Europe», Tver Memorial Society, Krasnodar Organization “Mothers in Defense of the Rights of Those Arrested, Under Investigation and Convicted”, Association of human rights organizations of Sverdlovsk region, Chita Human Rights Center. The Public Verdict Foundation was responsible for general coordination; Demos Research Center was responsible for legal editing of the report.
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Annex to the section The Problem of Torture and Cruel and Degrading Treatment in Chechnya and the Northern Caucasus

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The Problem of Torture and Cruel and Degrading Treatment in Chechnya and the Northern Caucasus

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