Participants summed up the results of the project, discussed the challenges and perspectives of the development of public control in prisons, detention centers, psychoneurological hospitals, childcare institutions and military units.

The participants highlighted that the situation in closed establishments has improved upon adoption of the Law on Public Control. The Head of the Union of Soldiers’ Mothers’ Committees, Valentine Melnikova (left) noted that a number of appeals on torture and violent treatment has decreased in recent years. Physical conditions, including food supply, slightly improved as well. At the same time, such a form of violent treatment as a non-reimbursable labour of soldiers remains urgent.

The representatives of Public Supervising Committees, who closely cooperated with the Center in the implementation of the project,  concluded that the most serious problems they have identified are lack of funds, insufficient awareness of rights and duties of public inspectors, lack of support of regional authorities, and ignorance of the officials of the Committees.

The conference participants noted that the working methods in closed establishments must be improved, as the members of Public Supervising Committees in some cases faced difficulties to identify the right recipients to be approached to deal with the complaints.

The representatives of Independent Psychiatric Association of the Russian Federation highlighted the need to include psychiatric closed establishments among the fields addressed by Public Supervising Committees, as currently no public body is authorized to monitor them. Such worrying issues as  hospital overcrowding and lack of medical staff need to be addressed. The Head of the Board Valentina Melnikova suggested the participants to draft recommendations on improvement of the work of Public Supervising Committees in this field and provide them to relevant public authorities to promote amendments of the related legislation.

The project results will be summed up in the final report containing the recommendations on prevention of torture and ill-treatment in the Russian Federation. The report will be shared among the Russian public authorities and society, as well as regional and international human rights bodies.

About the project:

The project "Prevention of torture and violent treatment in closed establishments in Russia" aims to monitor human rights violations in closed establishments in Russia, with a special focus on the probable use of torture and ill treatment. In addition, the project aims to develop and test a system of tools on prevention of torture and improve the methodology by visiting closed establishments. The activities of the project include:

  • regular visits to closed establishments
  • seminars and trainings for state officials, regional activists, parents, teachers, tutors, medical staff, etc. on prevention of violent treatment
  • awareness raising
  • lobbying activities to improve national legislation on monitoring closed establishments

The project is jointly implemented by members of the Russian Research Center for Human Rights.