Nord Ost siege to be reopened

On 14 February 14 2011 the Moscow prosecutors have reversed the decision to close the criminal case into the Nord-Ost terrorist attack in October 2002. Igor Trunov, a lawyer and representative of the victimes, told the Interfax news agency. According to Trunov, the Moscow’s Investigative Committee is due to check whether all of the terrorists [...]

Memorial accuses Russian law enforcement agencies of abducting and torturing ordinary Muslims in Moscow

The Memorial human rights group accused law enforcement agencies of kidnapping and torturing ordinary Muslims in Moscow as part of the government’s broadening fight against Islamist extremism. Memorial said in a report that at least eight Russian citizens from the North Caucasus had been kidnapped since September by law enforcement agencies in Moscow. “People are [...]

Russian Federation Invests in Enhanced Surveillance

On January 28, 2011, Russian media outlets reported that on January 11, 2011, the government had issued a resolution approving a two-year program of investing in high technology in the field of security. The program, which was recommended by the President’s Commission on Modernization and Technological Development, entrusts the FSB with the responsibility of spending [...]

2008 Cable describes the Russian prison system

Cable 08MOSCOW531 from February 2008 describes the Russian prison system. In contrast to other Western countries, the system is foremost focused on punishment, not rehabilitation, and while statisics are difficult to compare, produces a lower rate of recidivism. Recent prison riots, new prisoner shock tactics, and smuggled videos of prison mistreatment have highlighted the cruelties [...]

Russia Uses Extremism Law to Target Dissenters

Rights activists say the vaguely worded legislation, first passed in 2002, is increasingly being exploited by the authorities to persecute religious minorities, especially Jehovah’s Witnesses, intimidate the media and clamp down on opposition activists. The law — ostensibly aimed at combating potential terrorist threats — was used earlier this year to fine two prominent Moscow [...]

Russia condemned for continued failure to investigate indiscriminate bombardment of a Chechen village

The European Court of Human Rights found a violation of article 2 in the case Abuyeva and Others v. Russia. The case concerned the applicants’ allegation that 24 of their relatives died during the bombardment on their village in February 2000. Some of the applicants also complained about injuries they had sustained during the attack. [...]

Diaries of Russian official show abuses in Chechen wars

The Sunday Times article, “The War in Chechnya: Diary of a Killer,” offers a front-line account of characteristic forms of Russian-Chechen campaigns — roundups, torture, extrajudicial executions of detained rebels and the almost casual killing of civilians who happen to be in the way.

Itar tass: Almost 1,000 terrorist/extremist acts registered in Russia in Jan-Sep 2010

(Itar-Tass) – Almost one thousand terrorist and extremist crimes were registered in Russia in the first nine months of this year, Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev said. “In the first nine months of the year, 454 terrorist and 510 extremist crimes were registered,” Nurgaliyev said when awarding the best Interior Ministry officers on Saturday, November 6. [...]

European Parliament condemns terrorism charges against Memorial’s Orlov

The European Parliament has denounced “cynical and absurd attempts to implicate Memorial” in the crime of aiding terrorists, while Orlov himself stands trial on criminal charges of libel, risking three years in jail. In a resolution voted last week, MEPs denounced the persecution of  human rights activists and condemned all acts of terrorism and expressed [...]

Russia’s ‘Safe City’ and EITKS schemes allow mass surveillance of dissidents

Agentura.ru has an excellent article on how Russia has rolled out e-surveillance systems for the virtual surveillance on the behavior of groups and individuals. The system works through “Safe City” centres, which control CCTV camera’s in Russian cities. Each centre has access to local and federal databases. The image quality of these cameras not only [...]