Alexander Shishlov, Ombudsperson in St. Petersburg and
YABLOKO Bureau member, made his first report in the Legislative
Assembly of St. Petersburg.
On the whole he received 1643 written appeals, complaints
and requests from citizens of St. Petersburg in 2012.
Most complaints referred to housing problems. Over half of
them (52.3 per cent) dealt with failure to get housing from
the governments fund, 22 per cent dealt with housing property
title, 10.7 per cent with maintenance of the housing, 9.8
per cent with housing construction and 5.2 per cent with bills
on utility services.
Tenants from privatized hostels, hoodwinked housing investors
and veterans came to the Ombudsmans office. Most of them
were provided help or legal advice.
However, Alexander Shishlov noted that the committee of St.
Petersburg government dealing with utility services had been
persistently neglecting all his letters requesting to explain
formation of prices on housing and utilities services in 2012.
Alexander Shishlov stated that the Ombudsmans Office did
not receive a single request on the breach of religious rights
in the past year. On the contrary, Alexander Shishlov received
complaints from citizens protesting against construction of
temples in some districts of the city, such as, for example,
Malinovka Park.
The Ombudsman also spoke about the law on rallies, which has
been recently adopted by the city parliament.
The situation with the law on rallies has once again demonstrated
that such draft laws affecting human rights and liberties
should be adopted only after an expertise, such as an expertise
performed by Ombudsman, Shishlov said.
Alexander Shishlov also remarked that the so-called homosexual
propaganda law should be changed. In his opinion such law
abused human rights.
The Ombudsman recalled that dozens of people had been detained
at different street protest actions in 2012; whereas the authorities
explained the fact of their detention with the help of this
law. However, the court did not find any violations in their
actions, Shishlov said.
As no sentences were passed at such a high number of detentions,
this demonstrates the quality of the law, noted Shishlov.
He also added that he had received an expertise from the UN
High Commissioner on this law.
At the same time the Ombudsman noted positive dynamics in
maintenance of law and order during public events in 2012.
The attitude of police to participants of public actions
has been improving, and this is a good sign, added Shishlov.
According to Shishlov, this could be largely attributed to
the change of heads in St. Petersburgs interior department.
Shishlov also said that he had managed to establish good working
contacts with the new heads.
However, the prime concern of the Ombudsman was protection
of the right to life. He quoted that in 2012, 251 citizen
of St. Petersburg died because of crimes, 445 people died
in traffic accidents and 1,648 homeless died in the streets
of the city.
Human life is the key value. If the right to life is abused,
it is no use arguing about other rights and freedoms, said
Alexander Shishlov.
The full text of Ombudsmans report can be found on his official
website.
See also:
Human
rights
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