From the Russian side, the meeting was also attended by Russian ombudsman, Vladimir Lukin, the Presidential Representative for Children’s Rights, Pavel Astakhov and the President’s aide, Sergey Prikhodko.

Within the meeting the Chairwoman of Russian Research Center for Human Rights Valentina Melnikova (left) drew attention of Navanethem Pillay to the most urgent problems in the field of human rights in the Russian army, including discrimination of women, suicides of soldiers, poor medical care, gaps in corresponding legislation, tortures, insufficient investigation of soldiers’ deaths, etc.

 Melnikova also focused on the most recent cases of human rights violations in the army including cases of soldier Dajan Shakirov , who was found in coma with a loop on his neck and with traces of beating, unexpectedly died in unclear circumstances soldier Evgenij Chuprunov and many others.

This is the fourth visit by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to Russia. During her stay in the country, which will end on February 19, Pillay is going to meet with heads of the several ministries – including the Foreign Ministry, Interior, Justice and Health Ministries as well as the chairman of the Constitutional Court in St Petersburg.