Human rights defenders conducted picketing against “sadists’ law”
Press release, 01.06.2015
On May 29, the human rights defenders conducted a series of one-person pickets against the governmental bill broadening the possibilities of using force and impact munition against prisoners. The picket took place outside the State Duma.
Valeri Borshchev
Head of Moscow Helsinki Group Lyudmila Alexeyeva, YABLOKO Bureau member Valeri Borshchev, head of For human rights movement Lev Ponomaryev, co-Chair of YABLOKO Human rights defenders’ faction Sergei Kovaleyv participated in the action. They called the bill a “sadidts’ law”.
Sergei Kovalyev
According to the human rights defenders, the bill is contrary to the norms of international law. Sergei Kovalyev noted that the powers to use hoses and electric shockers are given to every prison servant. At the same time the notions “disturbance of regime” and “disobedience of officers’ orders” are not specified in the document.
Lyudmila Alexeyeva
The bill introduced by the government of the Russian Federation suggests legalization of physical force usage against prisoners in case they violate the custodial system. If the bill is passed, it will overturn the current norm which states that the usage of water canons and armored vehicles is possible only under the order of chief or deputy chief of the penal institution with “the further notification to a prosecutor within 24 hours since its usage”.
Lev Ponomaryev
According to the bill, the prison servants of penal institutions are relieved from responsibility for infliction of harm to the prisoners when using physical force, impact munition or fire armies if it took place under legal grounds.
The explanatory note runs that the bill was drafted with the purpose of implementation of the Concept of penal system development until 2020, which was approved by the government nearly five years ago.
Posted: June 2nd, 2015 under Human Rights.