Press Release, 28.12.2020

The Yabloko party has developed and submitted to the executive and the legislative authorities amendments to the Law on Police, which envisage equipping all police stations where legally significant procedures are carried out with video cameras and audio recorders.

On 8 December, the State Duma of the Russian Federation adopted in the first reading other, repressive, amendments to the law “On Police”. The Yabloko Centre for Legislative Initiatives prepared an examination of the constitutionality of these amendments. Party lawyers believe that these changes are aimed at establishing a police state and suppressing disturbances and discontent of citizens, which are, apparently, expected by the authorities .

The government’s amendments to the law “On Police” make it possible to misinform citizens in terms of police duties, prosecute any person by means “planting” drugs, weapons or other prohibited items during a personal examination, entering a home and opening a vehicle. In addition, the new law will restrict the rights of citizens during mass events, while police officers will be exempted from prosecution and responsibility for any actions, regardless of their legality.

Chairman of the party Nikolai Rybakov sent the conclusion of the Centre for Legislative Initiatives along with Yabloko’s own amendments to Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Chairman of the Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko, Chairman of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin, Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev and Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Security and Anti-Corruption Vasily Piskarev.

In a cover letter to Yabloko’s amendments, Nikolai Rybakov notes that the security forces and the police do not always enjoy trust in society, and recalls that offenses are often committed in police stations: there may be both offenses in relation to detainees and provocations against police officers.

“The mandatory installation of audio and video recording devices in police stations would help to remove many contradictions, reduce the crime rate, normalise relations between citizens and the law enforcement system, and would increase mutual responsibility, legal culture and respect for the law,” Nikolai Rybakov emphasises in his address.

The Chairman of the party calls the authorities to submit to the State Duma the amendments proposed by Yabloko. The amendments should be submitted to the second reading the draft federal law “On Amendments to the Federal Law “On Police ”. The submission of all amendments ends on 6 January, 2021.