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Press Release

Visit to the Russian Federation by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture

STRASBOURG, 17.09.99 - A delegation of the COUNCIL OF EUROPE Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) recently carried out a seventeen-day visit to the Russian Federation. The visit began on 30 August 1999 and was organised within the framework of the CPT's programme of periodic visits for 1999. It was the CPT's second visit to the Russian Federation. The first visit - which focused specifically on pre-trial detention and the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty by the Militia - took place in November 1998.

The visit was carried out by the following members of the CPT:

• John OLDEN, Head of the delegation, 2nd Vice-President of the CPT, (Irish)
• Constantin ECONOMIDES (Greek)
• Andres LEHTMETS (Estonian)
• Adam LAPTAS (Polish)
• Jagoda POLONCOVÁ (Slovak)
• Ole Vedel RASMUSSEN (Danish).

They were assisted by three experts - Andrew COYLE (Director of the International Centre for Prison Studies, King's College, London), Timothy HARDING (Director of the University Institute of Forensic Medicine, Geneva) and Jean-Pierre RESTELLINI (Specialist in forensic and internal medicine, Geneva) - as well as by Petya NESTOROVA and Borys WÓDZ of the CPT’s Secretariat.

The delegation visited the following places:

• Leninskoe District Command of Internal Affairs
• Traktozavodskyi District Command of Internal Affairs
• Directorate for Combating Organised Crime (UBOP)

• Temporary holding facility (IVS) at St.Petersburg City Command of Internal Affairs
• Petrogradski District Command of Internal Affairs
• Primorski District Command of Internal Affairs
• 35^th Militia Division, Primorskyi District
• 52^nd Militia Division, Krasnogvardeiskyi District
• Joint reception and distribution centre at St.Petersburg City Command of Internal Affairs

• City Command of Internal Affairs
• City Sobering-up Centre
• Reception and distribution centre for minors (Gorki Street)
• Joint reception and distribution centre (Leningradskaya Street)

• Medical-correctional establishment (LIU) No 3, Chelyabinsk
• Prison No 2, Zlatoust
• Strict regime colony No 2, Chelyabinsk

• Educational colony for juveniles, Kolpino
• Pre-trial establishment (SIZO) No 1 ("Kresty"), St.Petersburg

• Colony No 5 for prisoners serving life sentences, Novozero
• Inter-regional hospital (LPU) No 10, Vologda
• Prison No 1, Vologda

• Special psychiatric hospital with intensive supervision, St.Petersburg
• Forensic psychiatric ward of the Territorial Psychiatric Board No 2, St.Petersburg

In accordance with Article 11 of the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the information gathered by the CPT during its visit to the Russian Federation and its consultations with the Russian authorities are confidential.

The CPT was set up under the 1987 European Convention for the prevention of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. 40 of the 41 member States of the Council of Europe are bound by the Convention: Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, the Russian Federation, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.

The CPT is composed of persons from a variety of backgrounds: lawyers, medical doctors, prison experts, persons with parliamentary experience, etc. The Committee's task is to examine the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty. For this purpose, it is entitled to visit any place where such persons are held by a public authority. The Committee may formulate recommendations to strengthen, if necessary, their protection against torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

The CPT organises periodic visits as well as any other visits which appear to it to be required in the circumstances.

Further information may be obtained from:

• the CPT's Internet Site: www.cpt.coe.int

• the Council of Europe Press Department:
  Cathie Burton, tel. +33/(0)3 88 41 28 93; fax +33/(0)3 88 41 27 90; e-mail pressunit@coe.fr

• the CPT’s Secretariat:
  tel. +33/(0)3 88 41 23 88; fax +33/(0)3 88 41 27 72; e-mail cptdoc@coe.int