14 October 2019, 19:52
Law enforcers drive human rights defenders out of POCs in Southern Russia
Former law enforcers or officials of the Federal Penitentiary Service (known as FSIN) occupy places in public oversight commissions that monitor the human rights situation in places of detention. When POCs were formed in Adygea, Dagestan, Chechnya, the Krasnodar Territory, and the Rostov Region, proposals for candidates of the Human Rights Council (HRC) were only partially taken into account.
The procedure for the formation of public oversight commissions (POCs) has been completed in 44 constituent entities of Russia. New POCs are also formed in Adygea, Dagestan, Chechnya, the Krasnodar Territory, and the Rostov Region, reports Andrei Babushkin, the chair of the Human Rights Council's permanent commission on the promotion of the POCs and the reform of the penitentiary system.
"Those appointments continued the process of 'washing out' human rights defenders from POCs and replacing them with former law enforcers or FSIN officials," Andrei Babushkin said.
"Unfortunately, the appointment procedure is not transparent, and untrained people are included in the POCs," the human rights defender emphasized.
Andrei Babushkin also noted that the POCs face a lack of funding, facilities, and equipment to support their activities, as well as normal contacts with regional authorities.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on October 14, 2019 at 05:20 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
Author: Semyon Charny Source: CK correspondent
