The Russian Research Center for Human Rights is continuing to develop its program of Public Control for Human Rights observance in Closed Establishments of the Russian Federation. A peculiarity in the new stage of this program is the broad cooperation with representatives of the government and experts from international organizations. (11-NOV-05)
On 12-15 October 2005 the Public Foundation “Social Partnership” in cooperation with the Public Council under the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation and the Federal Service for the Execution of Punishment of the Russian Federation led a round table in Sochi on the theme: “Perfection of cooperation between employees of Agencies for the Execution of Punishment and NGOs on questions of the security of prisoners’ human rights and rendering social and psychological aid”. The Ombudsman of the Krasnodarsky Krai for human Rights, the head of the Warsaw Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, representatives of the Service of Execution of Punishment of the RF and the President of Social Partnership Foundation took part in the round table.
The results of the joint visit to several prisons in the Krasnodarsky Krai made by participants of the round table were discussed. This trip was organized by lead by Mr. Kozistky (the Ombudsman for Human Rights of Krasnodarsky Kray), Mr. Borshchev (the Chairman of the Public Council under the Ministry of Justice of the RF and the Chairman of the board of the Russian Research Center for Human Rights) and Mrs. Volkova (the President of the Social Partnership Foundation). These visits have become a good tradition and according to public opinion it assists in improving the prisoners’ position. For example, the decision on the possibility for common residence of women with their children was made after the joint visit to the woman’s prison.
The Ombudsman of the Krasnodarsky Krai familiarized the participants of the round table with statistics from the appeals of prisoners of this region. In spite of the fact that the State Agency of the Federal Service for the Execution of Punishment of Krasnodarsky Krai took first place, the following unsolved problems remain in the prisons of this region:
- Receipt by prisoners of a copy of the Court verdict and other materials of their criminal cases for making an appeal to a higher Court;
- Internment without charge, transfer of sittings of the Court and transportation of persons to Court from prison establishments;
- Inquiry into extradition requests of rending legislative aid in the framework of the Convention for Human Rights;
- Issuing of identificationdocuments;
- Social security and pensions.
The participants of the round table proposed various possible ways for solving these problems. Danuta Pshivara, the head of the Warsaw Helsinki Foundation shared in the experiences of solving these problems and of monitoring human rights in closed establishments of Poland. The implementation of these proposals can improve the situation in Russian prisons and can raise the prestige of the Country as a whole.
