Draft legislation to aid release from pre-trial detention in Russia
Draft legislation to aid release from pre-trial detention in Russia
26.12.2022
The Human Rights Council has summarised the results of its work during the year and outlined the main priorities for 2023.
On 26 December, the news agency TASS held a press conference on the results of the work of the Presidential Council for the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights (HRC) in 2022.
As the end of the year approaches, there remains a range of issues that require immediate resolution, including reducing the number of people currently held in pre-trial detention centres, said HRC member Eva Merkacheva.
“There are 11,000 people being held in pre-trial detention facilities in Moscow and only six out on bail, which should be the other way around. Next year, we will work on draft legislation that will help release most of these individuals from pre-trial detention centres, with people only taken into custody as a last resort”, Merkacheva added.
Merkacheva also said that she hoped CSOs would get involved in discussions on prisoners’ rights as they have a less formal approach to these issues in contrast to the State.
“Next year, we also expect to see an increase in the speed with which the Ministry of Justice removes individuals from the list of foreign agents, some of whom have been placed on the register without just cause”, said the speaker.
